Cesaria Evora Cafe Atlantico CD

After nearly a decade of shuffling around barefoot from one festival stage to another, the Queen of Cape Verde finally went global. West Africa has long looked to Havana for inspiration, and this is a truly transatlantic brew. Smooth and milky at first taste, CAFE ATLANTICO has just enough bitterness to remind us that Evora's roots lie in songs of yearning, loss, and hardship.

There's a good variety of styles and influences here: a son straight out of Havana ("Beijo de Longe") and an Angolan forro ("Terezinha") are brave steps away from the plangent guitars and seductive melodies that have characterised her albums to date. And there are more than a few salient reminders too of the morna style that she has made her own, notably in "Vaquinha Mansa" and the stylish "Amor di Mundo." The instrumental arrangements come courtesy of Jacques Morelenbaum and are as crafted as you'd expect. This is an album that would make a palm tree bend at the knees and long for summer. Why wait? Kick off your shoes and shuffle.

CAFE ATLANTICO was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best World Music Album.

Personnel: Totinho (vocals, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, percussion); Bau (guitar, 12-string guitar, cavaquinho); Luis Ramos (guitar, slide guitar, background vocals); José Paris (acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, background vocals); Jacinto Pereira (cavaquinho, background vocals); Conde Djeli Moussa (kora); Lázaro Dagoberto González, José Luis Dominguez, Alioth Castillo, Mario Fernandez, Omar Pereira, Leonel Hernandez, Raymond Morales, Ana Julia Feria, Fresi Garcia, Dania Gutierrez, Julian Corrales Subida, Gerardo Rafael Garcia Huerta, Roberto Dias, Julian Corrales, Ariel Mendez, Ernesto Dias Vera, Augusto Carreras, Genardo Garcia, Hugo Cruz (violin); Alejandro Rodriguez , Arelis Copello, Gladis La Tamayo (cello); Daniel Peñalver, Raul Valdez, Zorimé Mercedez, Manuel Garcia, Orlando "Maraca" Valle (flute); Jacky Fourniret (accordion); Emilio Heredia, Enrique Rodriguez, Michel Padron (trumpet); Francisco Santiago, Segundo Mendoza (French horn); Alberto Meneses, Ridel Rodriguez (trombone); Antonio Peñalver (bass trombone); Nando Andrade (piano, background vocals); Franck Emilio Flynn (piano); Francisco Valdez, Andres Grana, Carlos del Puerto (double bass); Calu (drums, background vocals); Silvano Michelino (bongos, pandeiro); Elilio del Monte (timbales); Tey Santos (percussion); John Nobre, Manuna, Aramis, Nedelise, Armandine, Valerie Belinga, Marie-Paule Tribord, Valerie Tribord, Nadine, Juan Carlos Estrada, Teofilo Chantre, Toy Vieira, Yumuri (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Jose DaSilva ; Stephanie Caisson.

Recording information: Studio Abdala, Havana, Cuba; Studio Harry Son, Paris, France; Studio Recall, Pompignan.

Photographer: Youri Lenquette.

Arrangers: Nando Andrade; Orlando "Maraca" Valle; Bau.

Personnel: Cesaria Evora (vocals); Totinho (vocals, soprano & tenor saxophones, percussion); Bau (6- & 12-string guitars, cavaquinho); Luis Ramos (slide guitar, background vocals); Jacinto Pereira (cavaquinho, background vocals); Jacky Fourniret (accordion); Nando Andrade (piano, background vocals); Jose Paris (acoustic bass, background vocals); Calu (drums, background vocals); Silvano Michelino (bongos, pandero); Tey Santos (percussion); Valerie Belinga, Valerie Tribord, Toy Viera, Teofilo Chantre, Fred, Armandine, Manuna, NAdine, John Nobre, Nedelise, Yolanda, Stephanie (background vocals).

Rolling Stone (8/5/99, p.67) - 3 1/2 stars (out of 5) - "...[ushers] Evora into atypically bright moods....[She] really only sings two ways: well or magnificiently."
Q (7/99, pp.110-2) - 4 stars (out of 5) - "...a lilting, mellow collection, ranging from the languorous...to the lighthearted....the crisp arrangements combined with her dry delivery ensure a lack of sentimentality."
CMJ (1/10/00, p.25) - Included in CMJ's "New World '99 Top 5" - "...a beautiful, finely wrought album that shows exactly why she's so popular..."
Mojo (Publisher) (1/00, p.31) - Ranked #16 in Mojo Magazine's "Best of 1999."