Capa Verde, an archipelago 300 miles west of Dakar, Senegal, has its own accordion-driven music called funana. A group of women would beat the batuku rhythm on folded stacks of clothes held by their knees, while a lead singer improvised poetry lampooning or critiquing local events.  A sensual dance called torno accompanied the song form. It sounds like more fun than Tupperware parties.  The young singing sensation Lura performs this erotic form on her new album, “Di Korpu Ku Alma” (on Escondida). She alters the tradition by paring the vocal down to one woman with musical accompaniment.  Orlando Pantera, a young man who died in 2001, and who never released a studio album himself, wrote five of the CD’s batuku style songs.  “When I first heard his music, I fell in love” Lura explains.  “He expresses daily life of the Cape Verde people in a very unique way.  His music and his words are very strong, and very Cape Verdean.  I fell in love with him and I never met him.  When I found out he died, I felt something I can do for him. So his music lives on.” The CD comes with a booklet containing translations of the songs and photos of the beautiful singer.  A bonus DVD presents her in concert.
By. Barry Bassis