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Concert Review
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Times Union, Concert Review >>
-by Greg Haymes
ALBANY -- Every once in a long while, a singer comes along who becomes the voice of a nation. As Edith Piaf was to France and Jacques Brel was to Belgium, so, too, is Cesaria Evora to Cape Verde, the isolated chain of islands 360 miles off of the coast of Senegal in West Africa.
On Wednesday night, Evora charmed a small but devoted crowd of fans at The Egg with a 90-minute performance that needed no translation. Singing in her native language -- a Creole-Portuguese-African blend -- the 65-year-old vocalist transported the crowd to the islands, as the stage fog evoked the tropical steam and Evora's voice welled over with sorrow and melancholy.
Evora's specialty is the morna, a back-porch style of minor-key ballads that is rooted in the Portuguese fado style, but also incorporates international elements as diverse as African polyrhythms, French cabaret and Brazilian sambas.
It's music that sways rather than swings.
And it's music that is soaked in sadness, each song conveying a sense of deep longing and regret.
Her voice -- a worn but warm tenor with a soft burr -- is sad, resigned and wise, wringing every ounce of emotion from the music without ever veering into melodrama. In concert she is remarkably straightforward. There was no overacting. In fact, there was no acting at all. She simply stood barefoot at center stage and sang her songs without a grimace or a single gesture.
Her voice was wrapped in exquisite musical settings provided by her eight-piece band, which managed to keep the rhythms rippling even beneath the saddest ballads, especially the pair of percussionists. Likewise, Evora's vocals evoked a rich vein of sorrow in the most upbeat of songs.
Her main musical foil was the tandem of violin and soprano saxophone, which often gave the music a klezmer undercurrent. Saxophonist Antonio Gomes was the standout musician of the evening, on both soprano and tenor saxes. He even did a bit of dancing, as well.
Making his first American tour, opening act Tcheka would have stolen the show from a lesser headliner. Like Evora, he hails from Cape Verde, and his half-hour set culled from his debut album, "Nu Monda," was simply too short.
Backed by a strong trio, the 33-year-old singer-guitarist used his astonishingly nimble voice and percussive guitar attack to handily win over the crowd, and the line at his merchandise table during intermission never dwindled. He is certainly an exciting and talented newcomer.
Greg Haymes may be reached at 454-5742 or by e-mail at ghaymes@timesunion.com. >>>>>>>>> Music review
Cesaria Evora with Tcheka
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
Where: The Egg, Empire State Plaza, Albany
Musical highlights: Her final encore of "Sangue de Beirona"
Length: Evora -- 90 minutes; Tcheka -- 30 minutes
The crowd: Sadly, the small crowd filled only about a third of the theater.
Upcoming: Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Levon Helm brings his band and his homespun Midnight Ramble on the road for a tour stop tonight at The Egg tonight. 06/29/07 >> go there
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