Not too many people know much about (or have even heard of) the tiny, 10-island West African country of Cape Verde (home to Iberostar Club Boa Vista, on Boavista island). But even though relatively few actually understood her song lyrics, plenty in Europe, Africa, and the rest of the world certainly knew and loved its most famous native daughter, a soulful singer whom we lost on December 17 at age 70.
Like one of my favorite U.S. jazz icons, Alberta Hunter, Cesária Évora started her career young and at one point left music, only to stage a spectacular comeback, in Évora’s case starting with a hit album in France, La diva aux pieds nus (“The Barefoot Diva”; she always sang barefoot because she said it was more comfortable). She won a Grammy nomination for 1995’s Cesária, and international fame didn’t lag far behind; her album Voz d’Amor (Voice of Love) later won her a world music Grammy in 2004. Évora’s health started declining in 2010, and in September 2011 she finally retired from her beloved music.
But the lady has left behind a gorgeous legacy of more than 20 studio, live, and remixed albums (including Club Sodade, a cool bunch of dance-club remix tracks), that have taught the world about Cape Verde’s distinctive national music, called morna. Like Portugal’s fado, it’s usually sung in a minor key and deals with loss, regret, and longing. As executed by Évora, it’s rich and jazzy, with lush arrangements and hints of blues and bossa nova. The language is crioulo, an Afro-Portuguese sprinkled with local African languages like Wolof and Fulani. Her success – and the video below, one of her better-known songs, “Sodade” (“Longing”) – prove that you don’t need to understand the words to be moved by the music and that evanescent voice. Still, for your delight, here are the simple yet powerful lyrics:
Quem mostra’ bo ess caminho longe?
Who will show you that long road?Quem mostra’ bo ess caminho longe?
Who will show you that long road?Ess caminho pa São Tomé
That road to São ToméSodade sodade
The longing, the longingSodade
The longingDess nha terra São Nicolau
For this land of mine, São NicolauSi bo ‘screve me ’m ta ‘screve be
If you write to me I’ll write back to youSi bo ‘squece me ’m ta ‘squece be
If you forget me I’ll forget youAté dia qui bo voltà
Until the day you returnSodade sodade
The longing, the longingSodade
The longingDess nha terra São Nicolau
For this land of mine, São Nicolau
Muito obrigado (thank you so much), Cesária. Today, December 20th, may be your funeral; but your music will always live in our hearts. Rest in peace.
Photo | Bruno Bollaert
