Just Announced: Sounds of Cape Verde at Masonic Center — Saturday, June 9

In the late ’80s Cape Verdean singer Cesaria Evora shot from relative obscurity to celebrity, seemingly overnight. A mature singer, Evora possessed a distinctive style The New York Times described as “a liquid melancholy, gliding up to notes and lingering as if each one held memories of a tearful farewell." Evora became a cultural ambassador, spreading both the traditional morna style and the little-known Cape Verde culture.

Cape Verde has long been a fertile cultural mixing ground. The Portuguese colonized the island nation in the 15th century and its early settlers were a mix of Portuguese and Brazilians. A one-time way station on the main slave routes, the island also has a heavy African influence. The music that developed on the islands drew from these disparate cultures and from the dramatic contrast between the rugged island landscape and the wide-open sea that surrounds it.

Cape Verdean songster, Tcheka.

That nautical tradition connects the morna to the Portuguese fado (represented this Spring Season by Portuguese vocalist Dulce Pontes). Both song forms evoke the laments of those who venture out to sea and the landlocked lovers who await their return. Similar to the blues, with strains of Argentinean tango and Angolan lament, the morna, like its most-acclaimed interpreter Evora, epitomizes the rich history of its home.

Tcheka is one of the many musicians who has benefited from Evora’s success. The guitarist and songwriter is “part of a younger generation of Cape Verdeans uncovering the rich store of [Cape Verdean] folk rhythms” (Independent, UK) merging traditional batuque beats with jazz-influenced instrumentalism.

Anoushka Shankar ”has made her sitar an instrument not just of a silky melody but of a cultural revival” (Time Asia). On her latest album, Rise, she steps away from Indian classicism, mixing electronic beats and Indian melodies.

Anoushka's Making of Rise video

Launch Rise Digital Player

The daughter—and lifelong student—of famed sitarist Ravi Shankar, she grew up in London and Los Angeles, and wanted her music to mirror her life experience. "I've been trying to tap into a younger culture," she said. "My father did that for many decades, but people closer to my own age don't necessarily know as much about music as his young fans did."

In addition to acclaimed recordings of her father’s music including the Grammy-winning Full Circle (recorded live at Carnegie Hall), and the Grammy-nominated Rise, Shankar has performed on Sting’s Sacred Love, and the tribute to George Harrison Concert for George. She was also the first Indian woman to perform at the Grammy Awards, an honor that coincided with her half-sister Norah Jones’ multi-Grammy-winning night.

Expect an eclectic blend of modern grooves and a fresh look at Indian tradition from this globetrotting talent. Buy your tickets today

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