Jovino was born in Boa Vista, Cabo Verde (Cape Verde). He grew up in Sâo Vincente in his aunt’s house who is the owner of the famous Café Cantante.

In this café, every Sunday Cape Verde’s artists like B. Leza, Tchuff, and Ti Goy meet, a practice seen quite often throughout Cape Verde. The family café is also a place for artists to learn and to be in touch with their audiences. This creative ambiance influenced Jovino’s compositions, as did the island’s traditions and folklore.

As you listen to him, you get a sharp feeling of his roots, as in a tale of the CapeVerdians’ lifestyle, a people deeply affected by colonization, loneliness and the absence of a parent. Jovino remains a poet who evokes his homeland and its inhabitants while revealing the magic of the Cape Verde archipelago.


After a stay in Portugal, Jovino moved to France in the early 70’s.

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