And what a music she has given birth to, a wonderful mix of European nightclub torches, American blues and ragtime and various regenerations of some of the popular local styles, a fusion that has much in common with the modern music of places like Bahia in Brazil. In fact, many listeners will at first think they have stumbled on a new Brazilian sound. The Cape Verdean version of the blues, the morna, is at the heart of her music, a soulful, playful music that mixes sadness and joy in unusual combinations. Her voice carries these qualities well, and is reminiscent of Billy Holiday, Maria Bethânia and maybe even at a stretch, Lotte Lena or Edith Piaf. The backing band is an all acoustic unit of guitars and cavaquinho with bass, accordion and reeds filling it out. The sum total is a marvelous, warm and stirring vision of life as told by a fine chantuese.

For More music from Cape Verde: http://www.umassd.edu/specialprograms/caboverde/cvmusic.html