‘Coimbra Fado’, the new album from the Ricardo Dias Ensemble features – apart from the traditional Fado instrumentation of voice, guitarra portuguesa, guitar – piano, accordion, double bass and trumpet, adding extra life and scope to the music. Pianist and composer Ricardo J. Dias, Cristina Branco’s musical director, has produced several CDs that were awarded the José Afonso Prize. “The Ricardo Dias Ensemble renovates and re-invents the Fado / Canção de Coimbra (Fado/Song of Coimbra), with their roots in the Coimbra Fado and the students’ ballads. ” – Domingos Morais