Cesaria Evora recommendations in SONGLINES

[FalconP]

In this issue of world-music magazine Songlines there is a "guide" to Cesaria Evora. I'll list their recommendations, with my own comments in blue:

Best Albums -- Miss Perfumado: this album launched her career. When it was relesed in france, she was compared to Edith Piaf and Billy Holiday...Cesaria: her first big international release...begins with Petit Pays, a gental tribute to her country and one of the best songs. There are plangent violin solos by Baum who now leads her band. His elaborate guitar in Tudo Dia E Dia bring to mind the dance between wind and dry sands of Cape Verde islands...( I concurr; and I'd put Cesaria -- which is richer and more varied, over Miss Perfumado. Add also Sao Vincente -- a sunnier , more rhythmic offering with Cuban-Brazillian colours)

Best Compilations -- Anthology (BMG2002): a good balance of mornas and coladeiras combines the finest work from Cesaria's career...plus there are various popular choices. ( instead of getting a best-of compilation, I'd rather recommend her early live album L'Olympia -- the good balance of style is there, as are the popular choices; on top of that, there is a wonderful sense of spontaneity in the performance -- I've seen Evora live this March, and I think this album is even better than that concert.)

Club Sodade: Cesaria Evora by... -- The world's best electronic DJs remix Cesaria's melancholic traditional songs... the result is fantasic. ( haven't heard this album)

Best Avoided -- La Diva Aux Pied Nus: her first album is an 80s electronic musical arrangement, which never manages to transmit the richness of her voice. (the richness is indeed there in that album, but the treatment is decidedly pop -- not the more rootsy style that Evora is famous for.)

Like Cesaria? Try -- Guilhermina by Tito Paris: also born in Mindelo, Tito's background is very similar to Cesaria's. An excellent guitarist, songwriter and singer, Guilhermina, his new album, is the best of all. The Soul of Cape Verde by various artists (Lusafrica 1996): Nearly 75 minutes of languorous instrumental and vocal tracks from Bana, Tito Paris, Celina Pereira and others.

On a sadder note, master kora player Kaouding Cissoko (Senegal) has died from tuberculosis.

 

[blessingx]

Thanks for the info and comments!

Purchased The Very Best Of, but keep going back to Cesaria a.k.a. Cesaria Evora a.k.a. Cesaria Evora [132].

How does Cabo Verde fit into the mix?

Looking forward to hearing the others.

 

[FalconP]

I happen not to have Cabo Verde so I can't say for sure, but if you put Evora's releases chronologically together, you can see a trend -- from rootsy simplicity to more elaborate, studio-based arrangements; and that latter releases are more rhythmic than the earlier ones. So my guess is that Cabo Verde is probably more up-beat than Cesaria, but with less studio treatments than Cafe Atlantico

 

[Davey]

Quote:

Originally posted by blessingx Thanks for the info and comments! Purchased The Very Best Of, but keep going back to Cesaria a.k.a. Cesaria Evora a.k.a. Cesaria Evora [132]. How does Cabo Verde fit into the mix? Looking forward to hearing the others.

Yeah, that Cesaria one has always been my favorite. Just gorgeous vocals and her music is so special too. Great recording too, although strangely it is kind of an equaliser in that it tends to make components sound the same. Odd, but not the best music to use for comparing mods, tweeks, or other subtle changes. Or maybe it's just because I can't concentrate on those silly distractions when I hear such wonderful music

I have a couple others including Cabo Verde and they are very good but just don't have the soul of that one, at least not for me. And the recordings are more artificial on the later releases. Not that Cesaria is a world class type recording, but it can sound very good and analog-like as opposed to the digital edge on the later releases. I also have a 12" vinyl of one of the songs from Miss Perfumado I think with some club remixes. Pretty cool but I've never seen any other stuff from her on vinyl.