ABSTRACT

Fado has always been a global practice. This chapter focuses on the more recent era of globalization, in which it could be argued Portugal has been more of a recipient than a protagonist. It intersects with the others by asking what is gained and lost through this process in terms of fado's locality, its place in the world. This locality needs to be understood as both a physical one and as a generic one; in other words, fado needs to be located in 'real' and discursive space. Developments in recording, playback and performance technology play a crucial role, especially in the novo fado that has been courted in recent years by the world music network. It has become quite common in the UK to find world music compilations marketed at audio tourists, people with an interest in the sounds from elsewhere but who are content to witness them via a trip to the local music shop or by online ordering.