Roy Tabwa

Born in Angola and raised primarily in Portugal, Roy immigrated to the United States at age 15. He graduated high school and then worked towards an Associate’s Degree. Eventually, he would practice guitar eight hours a day, taking influence from Bana, Luis Morais, Bau, and other traditional musicians of Cape Verde. “In 1999, I went to Brazil and I bought some records and I got inspired by Brazilian music,’’ he says. “When I got back I found some books by João Gilberto and I studied the chord progressions. I found some websites that had all the Brazilian tunes. I started studying music theory learning the chords and had to play them backwards because I am left-handed.’’ To achieve proficiency, he began attending open mic opportunities around Boston several nights a week, continuing throughout the decade between 2005 and 2015. These sessions helped Roy to conquer his performance anxiety, giving him confidence and polish. 

As Roy performed more, word began to spread in local circles, praising Roy for his eclectic sound, a musical style gathered from various sources. Ultimately, he connected with noted producer and multi-instrumentalist Kim Alves, whose remarkable ear has shaped the oeuvre of dozens of artists globally. Alves agreed to produce Roy’s record, helping with the overall arrangement as well as laying down each track individually. Through his time in music school, Roy had studied music theory, which enabled him to organize the sounds he heard into a cohesive musical structure. The Tabwa People, released in 2020 with the help of ORKKA International, bears the fruits of Roy and Kim’s skilled collaboration -- and, with another album in the works, this is only the beginning.