Cap Vert - Un Archipel de Musiques

Cape Verde has attained a fame far beyond what its small geographic stature would seem to justify, in great measure due to the work of morna diva Cesaria Evora. This small group of islands was uninhabited until Portugal settled it with its unwanted poor, its opportunistic pirates, clever business people, and slaves brought from the nearby African coast. Thus the archipelago has a unique, almost artificial culture. It's a true example of how people create culture as much as they are created by it.

This two-CD set is broken into two regional collections. Sotavento ("leeward") covers the islands of Fogo, Santiago, Maio, and Brava, where the majority of blacks still live. It features social satire called tabanka, women's social music (batuque), the accordion-driven funana, and work and play songs. Barlavento ("windward") shows the more diverse European elements (not exclusively Portuguese) that mixed with the African to create the roots of the most famous of Cape Verde's musical traditions, the morna of Boa Vista island. Also featured are wedding and festival music, and more formal styles that work with European instruments such as the violin.

Much of this music has been covered in individual discs on the Ocora label, but this collection is one of the best overviews of the region available, with good notes, marvelous pictures, and well-recorded, outstanding performances. (Amazon, Louis Gibson)


The double CD Cape Verde - An Archipelago of Music contains several examples from each of nine islands of the archipelago. Most of the cuts are the mix of Afro-European "mornas", "coledeiras" and related dance-types that have dominated the recent crop of recordings from Cape Verde. If you have not heard this style before, the effect is exotic, yet familiar, with echoes of 19th century "parlor music". There used to be music similar to this on many Caribbean islands. The groups include various mixes of accordions, Portuguese guitars, violin and gentle Caribbean-sounding scrapers and shakers. The effect is sweet, charming, mournful, and lightly swinging.

But there are a bunch of local genres here I have not heard before. Some are West African-sounding vocals (although without the hand percussion settings usually associated with the area). The pieces are used for local rituals and work accompaniment. All in all, lots of fine roots stuff here, with few pop influences, most of those from modern Brazil. (rootsworld)

Tracklist:
CD 1:
1. Tabanka de varzea 7:45
2. Ma n'ka ta ba rubea ki ten agu txeu 3:45
3. Rapazinho bo e tentadu 6:45
4. Minina si bu dan n'ta core mo 6:15
5. Lena 5:14
6. Toque de pilao com milho 7:00
7. Mino 4:36
8. Principe de ximento 2:46
9. Mino de mama 3:39
10. O galo ki tem se razao 5:40
11. Bombena 1:51
12. Pretu cor di nos 6:04
13. N'kre bu fora di marka 6:01
14. Lindinha 4:24

CD 2:
15. Cascabulho tem baleia 3:38
16. Nho Miguel pulnor 5:42
17. Nha desoa 3:56
18. Nho sont' Andre 4:19
19. Colaboi 4:55
20. Colaboi 2:21
21. Colaboi 5:35
22. Dia 15 grog ta caba 4:30
23. Chuva de 83 5:07
24. Ana mata tchuk 3:11
25. Boas Festas 5:29
26. Contradanse 2:05
27. Maria qze qui bu tem 6:26
28. Compadre Jose 3:54
29. Solo de violao 6:09
30. Rabilona 3:11
31. Maria barba 6:23

Rapidshare:
Part 01
Part 02
pw= music_inside


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