|
|
 |
Concert Review
|
| Click Here to go back. |
Muzik Fan, Concert Review >>
-by Alastair Johnston
One of Cabo Verde's main exports seems to be music. I am always a bit skeptical about the publicity surrounding the latest diva from the islands. Cesaria Evora had her moment and, while there may be a craving to replace her, she is still successfully replicating herself, like Sade with a cigar. Lura has put out a second album M'BEM DI FORA, and her label graciously forwarded a copy to me, but frankly, after a spin, I put it in the reject pile. Now I am a bit chagrined, feeling I didn't give it a fair shake. I mean, I get to audition a lot of music, not all of it good. If it doesn't grab me on one or two tastes I generally dump it like a wine-taster spitting out an expensive Chardonnay because he was expecting Prosecco. So, last week IJ called and asked me if I wanted to go to a concert as his plus one. It was a Friday night and he had a pair of tickets to hear Lura at UC Berkeley. A free ticket and a nice venue only a 5-minute walk from my pad, how could I say no? Blame the aftermath of 9/11, but we don't get much good music touring in the USA. If you follow what UC Berkeley is bringing to town, it's always the same few acts lumped under the World Music sobriquet. (Planet Drum with Mickey Hart, Mariza, Hugh Masakela, Angelique Kidjo, Peru Negro, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Arlo Guthrie [sic] -- that's their idea of world music?!) They had booked Lura into Wheeler Auditorium: a smaller venue than Zellerbach though not dancer friendly like Pauley Ballroom (where I saw Iggy Pop back in the 70s). From the first notes you knew her band was going to be good. The musical director is Toy Viera, also the arranger for Cesaria Evora. Edevaldo Figueiredo was thwocking a 5-string bass, Aurelio Santos was deftly making complex runs on an acoustic guitar, while two percussionists pushed the tempo. Kau Paris on drums had a light touch, using his brushes a lot, while Jair Pina slapped a brace of congas. There was also a violinist, Guillaume Singer, with a lilting touch. Lura walked out in a simple figure-hugging black dress: she has a large head and small body, but is attractive and charismatic. She electrified the audience, even those middle-aged drudges who had finished the work week and were expecting some soothing ballads. She covered a wide range of traditional Cabo Verdean music, including funana, which uses a scraper and metal bar, and other up-tempo stuff, removed from the mournful morna associated with Evora. The audience loved it when she played a batuque -- a rhythm associated with women who slap a pile of laundry. But then she got into some butt-shaking that had the guys craning their necks to see her flashing thighs. I gave up wiggling my ears to understand the patois lyrics and enjoyed the spectacle instead. There were moments of jazz, hints of Brasil (particularly in some of her vocal inflections) and lots of rootsy percussion. Often the whole band abandoned their instruments to get into a percussion groove. They had the audience on their feet, cheering. Afterwards IJ & I discussed the perennial problem of live performers who can really deliver the goods but are hamstrung by producers who have a concept and therefore go for a consistent sound and the album ends up being sonic oatmeal. According to IJ most of the material was drawn from her 2005 debut album DI KORPU KU ALMA, which I will look out for. If Lura can capture her live sound on record she will undoubtedly become a major international star and we can look forward to her bright presence in future tours. 05/01/07 >> go there
|
| Click Here to go back. |
|
 |
|
|
|
