Rufino Almeida, a.k.a. Bau (b. 1962) is a native of Sao Vicente, one of the… Read Full Bio ↴Rufino Almeida, a.k.a. Bau (b. 1962) is a native of Sao Vicente, one of the many islands of the Cape Verde (Cabo Verde) archipelago.

Bau's father made stringed instruments in Mindelo and, for Bau's seventh birthday, gave him his first instrument---a cavaquinho, which is a small four-stringed guitar, similar to a ukulele, used in Brazil and in Cape Verde to mark the beat. Bau's father taught him how to make guitars, cavaquinhos, violins, and also how to play them. Bau continues to master his musical skills, combining instrumental virtuosity with a self-taught and instinctive sensitivity. He plays the cavaquinho, both ten- and twelve-string guitar, and violin.

In 1994, Bau joined the band that accompanied Cesária Évora on stage. He became her director of musical formation in 1996, serving in that capacity until 1999, when he returned home to Mindelo in Cape Verde, and continues to record.