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Cesaria Evora is the world's foremost singer of the morna, the indigenous style of Africa's Cape Verde Islands. The morna evolved as a hybrid of Portuguese fados, British sea shanties, and African rhythm, reflecting the island's history as a Portuguese colony and spot for British coal mining. Some say it was also influenced by the modinha, a Brazilian song form. Full of mournful melodies and slow tempos, Evora's music encapsulates the essence of the morna in its sadness, longing, and nostalgia. Her latest outing, Cafe Atlantico, finds her in a slightly less somber, more cabaret-tinged setting, complete with string and horn sections, a troupe of backup singers, and several percussionists. Evora's voice soars above this festive mix, retaining the sodade, or yearning, that runs deep within her music.
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