Queen Of World Music - Ceseria Evora

[Guest rohale]

What can one really say about Ceseria Evora, the barefoot diva of Cape Verde who made her debut on the west coast of the United States a few days ago at a nice little music venue. Everyone has their own point of view and this is mine to a fault. The brilliance and genius of this lovely lady is that she brought with her a well-synchronized, nine member band and a jazzy island sound that's rarely been heard live in these parts.

 

The band, sans lead singer, opened with a catchy instrumental number, featuring the great charismatic saxaphonist Antonio Fernandez. Evora, then slowly entered the stage, wearing a blue, gold and white dress and several pieces of gold jewelry that made her look so beautiful and stunning.

 

Without saying a word to the audience, she launched into " Rigomar ", the title track from her latest album. Though she sings in Crioula, an Afro-Portugese language few West Coasterners can understand ( unless they're Cape Verdean ), she possesses a golden voice, tinged with cigarettes as it may be.

 

Evora evoked the nostalgic faraway feeling of Cape Verde, a chain of islands more than 350 miles off the west coast of Africa. She specialises in Mornas, the minor-keyed blues folk songs of her homeland. Depending on the listeners state, Evora sound could life you away from your environs to another, ineffable place. or put you in a relaxed sleep. Sometimes those places are the same.

 

Her band was tight and well oiled, although the guitarist missed a few notes in the introduction of " Sombras di Distino " the first song from her latest outing. Especially talented were the saxaphonist, who alternated between soprano and tenor. The accordionist and the violinist, who made his instrument sound like a horn at times.

 

The saxaphonist occassionally took center stage alongside Evora and shook his hips or clapped his hands, a noted contrast to the evening's chanteuse, who generally stood still while she sang. To dance up a storm is not Evora's style, she lets her voice do the waltzing. Evora led her band through " Fala Pa Fala " an un-tempo " Africa Nossa " and a bitter sweet " Sodade ". Offcourse forgetting not to mention the caladeira " Avenida Marginal " involved some well timed staccato moments and " Mar Canal " dripping with sadness, featured the impressive piano skills of longtime collaborator, Mr Fernando Andrade. Watching him on stage was like observing a spinning wheel in motion

 

The barefoot diva took a cigarette break almost two-thirds into the program, and while she smoked. the band played " Nixana ", an instrumental number. As she sat puffing away, Evora's smoke hovered around saxaphonist Fernandes, an unintentional yet cool visual effect.

 

For her encore, she sang the standard " Besame Mucho " in Spanish. She finished with a reprise of " Africa Nossa ", waved goodbye to the audience and left. The band wound down that song carnivale style.

 

Evora gave a commendable performance a few nights back, although one wishes this queen of world music would interact with her audience a bit more I suppose. It sometimes seemed that whether the crowd was present or not, her delivery and demeanor would have been the same.

 

Rohale

[Epigonos]

Couldn't agree with you more regarding the wonderful sound of Ceseria Evora, however, she made her West Coast debut over two years ago in the Disney Hall in Los Angeles. Though she was fantastic that venue was, in my opinion, too large and impersonal for music at intimate as hers.