From
Cesaria Evora
's opening wail on
Mar Azul
's title track, one knows that this disc, a short set comprised of only eight songs, is going to be something special. This is the album that won
Evora
the praise of Paris, and was released prior to her international hit,
Miss Perfumado
. These are classic
mornas
at their most haunting -- all the songs are devastating, slow-burning, and stellar. The subject matter is about love, loss, and the heartbreak of life in Cape Verde. The music is acoustic, with guitars, sweeping pianos, and the occasional horn or violin to augment the effect. The liner notes set up the image of
("Cize," as she is known to those close to her) as she prepares to sing in a smoky Cape Verdean nightclub. The overlying feel of this album is that of a dark and intimate seaside bar, under a starry sky, featuring a beloved singer who woos the audience with her dreamy, mesmerizing voice. Highlights include the haunting
"Mar Azul,"
the elegantly moody
"Cabo Verde,"
the album's two upbeat tracks,
"Estanhadinha"
and
"Cinturao Tem Mele,"
and its heartbreaking finale,
"Separacao."
This truly original and understated album burns with the underlying ferocity of an emotional roller coaster, and introduced to the world the
of Cape Verde and their most famous interpreter,
. ~ Jose Promis