Published on Jul 31, 2001
On the surface, it would be easy for a neophyte to the world
music scene to immediately assume Cesaria Evora to be part of the
scene that spawned
Buena Vista Social Club. It would be easy for them to assume
that her latest disc,
Sao Vicente, was filled with Latin rhythms that would get
your soul and butt grooving. Yes, it would be easy… and wrong on
all counts.
Evora, you see, is actually a native of Cape Verde, closer to
Africa than Cuba, knocking that whole Ry Cooder connection right
out the window. And while there are Latin tinges to her music,
Evora is a practicioner of “morna,” which is, as its name suggests,
more mournful than groove-inspiring. And while it’s admittedly not
the easiest style of music to like right out of the box, Evora does
win over the listener with her vocal talents.
You don’t have to speak the language to understand the emotion
behind
Sao Vicente. Hell, I didn’t understand a single word, yet
what Evora felt on songs like “Sao Vicente Di Longe,” “Tiempo Y
Silencio” and “Crepuscular Solidao” (the last track with Bonnie
Raitt guesting) speaks to the listener in an emotional language
that all will know.
Yet
Sao Vicente is not the easiest album to get into initially –
and part of that might be due to listeners’ preconceptions of what
Evora’s music is about. It’s almost a stereotype to the Western
world that Latin music is full of energy, life and raw sexuality.
But not all Latin music is like Ricky Martin – the closest some of
us gringos ever get to the real thing. No, Evora and “morna”
displays a much different side of this style of music, one that
challenges the listener to break their initial expectations and
take this at face value. And while there are some energetic numbers
on
Sao Vicente such as the disc’s closer “Pic Nic Salamansa,”
Evora challenges the listener to take her music as it is or leave
it. If you walk away, it’s a pity; while it takes a few more brain
cells to comprehend her music, it’s worth it in the end.
Sao Vicente mixes Latin and Caribbean rhythms with raw
emotion and, when the moment calls for it, a light touch. This is
not a disc you’ll appreciate on a cursory listen – regrettably,
something most listeners only have the time for. Sit back with a
cocktail and really listen to this disc – and find its true
magic.