Cape Verde music reviews

The CD can only be topped by the live performance. They are a must see act.

If you like Brazilian music, African music and Fado (Portuguese ballads) you are in luck; Maria de Barros has recorded the joyous music of Cape Verde in a well-produced and delightful CD of bouncy, tuneful music.

The music on this CD is reminscent of Brazilian music most of all, but there is a lot of the African influence. So if you are a fan of music from that band spanning the world from South America to West Africa, you will undoubtedly enjoy "Danca Ma Mi." As a party CD for those who put on Latin American sound, this is unsurpassed. I like listening to it when I want something lively but not harsh or jarring--it's some of the happiest music I've heard in a long while.

Cape Verde is an island nation that was settled by the Portuguese in 1462. The Portugese brought African slaves, and the population is a mix of Portuguese and African influences as a result.

There are a number of types of traditional music in Cape Verde, from Morna, a tango-like sound, to its child Coladeira, and also Funana from Chile (with accordian.) And then there is Batuco, a woman's genre, fast and funny. This album features a bit of each. If you like Afro-Brazilian sound, you will love this CD.

Cape Verdeans are found all over the world, as the island has poor weather and had frequent disastrous droughts and crop failures. They brought their music along--a surprisingly happy sound for a place that had more than its share of troubles. I recommend this CD MOST HIGHLY, especially to fans of Brazilian music, Salsa, Cuban music. Give it a try.

The title of Maria de Barros' new CD perfectly sums up what you want to do when you hear it: dance. While there are some slower mornas, the tempo of the CD is generally upbeat, with coladeiras that have a salsa flavor and some funana rhythms (using the ferro, a metallic instrument played with a spoon). Nearly all of the songs are original (i.e., not traditional), and I believe most are sung in the Portuguese criole used in Cape Verde (I don't speak Portuguese), which is a lovely language, soft and amenable to the rhythms. The mood of the songs ranges from yearning to passion to just simple joy. I can't give a CD a higher recommendation, except that you have to get her first CD, Nha Mundo (My World) as well. The new CD is definitely not more of the same, but it is just as good as her first. Danca Ma Mi is better than any other tonics or stimulants you can get and gets phenomenal when you dance to it! You should also go to see her live performances, which often turn into more of a dance and party than a sit down show; there is nothing like it.