Continuing our WOMEX 22 recap, we're excited to feature our next artist — Gaspar Varela of Lisbon, Portugal 🇵🇹! 🙌 SAMA is also very honored to have Selma Uamusse again as our guest co-host for this session. This session will showcase an interview of Selma with Gaspar and guitar performances where he did music covers from the following: Artur Paredes - Variações em Lá Menor Carlos Paredes - Canto de Embalar Mário José Lopes - Improvisation in D major with Fado Lopes ⁠ Gaspar is the great-grandson of the late Fado singer, Celeste Rodrigues. He learned to play the Portuguese guitar from an early age with a dream to one day accompany his great-grandmother while she performed. This dream came true at just seven years old, at the Radio Amália Gala, by the hand of his Maestro, guitarist Paulo Parreira. After which, Gaspar continued to accompany Celeste Rodrigues on several occasions. ⁠ ⁠ At 15 years old, Gaspar was the youngest Portuguese Guitar Player to ever perform solo at the mystical concert hall Centro Cultural de Belem in Lisbon. ⁠ ⁠ Shortly thereafter, Madonna invited him to integrate his sound and culture in her Madame X global tour.⁠ ⁠ In addition to his solo acts, Gaspar accompanies Fado legend, Ana Moura on her shows as her lead Guitarist.⁠ ⁠ In 2021 he was one of the co-creators of Expresso Transatlântico, a band that brings together the tradition of Portuguese music with a contemporary sound in a compelling mixture, born of Lisbon culture.⁠