Friday, February 20, 2015

The sound of Cape Verde

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku_WZoTtT8Q&feature=share

I was introduced to this singer - the late Cesaria Evora by Vagabonde only to discover she is a favourite of Guyana Gal and Cloudcutter.  The song Sodade means longing.
Everything about this recording including the décor and the men - they all seem fit as fleas in the good health sense - takes me back to the islands and they are all so cool.  Enjoy.

6 comments:

Vagabonde said...

The youtube you listed cannot be seen in the US. But we can see this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERYY8GJ-i0I

I started listening to Cesaria Evora years ago, in the early 1990s and bought a music cassette of her. She was not known in the US then, so every time I went to Paris I would buy first cassettes, then CDs. One year, in 2009, we were going to Paris in the fall to take a cruise from Marseille. I found out she was going to sing at the grand theatre Rex so I immediately bought tickets. We saw her – she was wearing a black dress and had not shoes. They called her “la diva aux pieds nus.” That was a great concert. I was able to take a couple of photos. She passed away in 2011 unfortunately. But, because of her successful singing she was the one that placed the Cape Verde Islands on the map for tourism. Portugal did not want to talk about her at first but then when she became popular, they called her a Portuguese child. She was much loved in France – she sold 4.5 million CDs, and 2 million were in France. She was given the Legion of Honneur and a college took her name in France (in Montreuil.) A square is also planned in the 19th quarter of Paris and it will be called Place Cesaria Evora. Actually it was because of her that I took Portuguese language lessons – so I could understand her songs, but she also sang in French. I listed her in my blog profile from the start as she is one of my very favorites.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Isn't her voice amazing?

A gal from Eastern Europe introduced me to her music.

Granny Annie said...

with those recommendations it has to be good :-)

Pat said...

Granny Annie: absolutely!

angryparsnip said...

Wow, what a super interesting comment from @vagabonde.
Isn't it wonderful when you like something and you find your friends do also.

How is your arm ? I hope you are healing nicely. And all your cold weather is not bothering it.

cheers, parsnip

Pat said...

Parsnip: I am grateful to Vagabonde for pointing me in the right direction.
thank you my arm improves daily and only really hurts when over do it.
If - like me you want to know more about Cesaria:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ces%C3%A1ria_%C3%89vora.