Cesaria Evora 1941-2011

27 August 1941 – 17 December 2011

Cesaria Evora passed away today, aged 70, on her home island of Sao Vicente. The cause of death was cardiorespiratory insufficiency and hypertension. I’m not sure what that means, but Evora had announced her retirement from music just a few months ago, due to poor health. She’d suffered a heart attack last year, and experienced respiratory problems due to a lifelong cigarette habit. Evora had not recorded since 2009, and hadn’t played live since the beginning of 2010. I don’t know anything about Evora’s personal life or whether she is survived by any family. I would like to imagine a gathering of children and grandchildren to honor her passing. She will be missed by fans worldwide. We’ve lost a magical voice.

Crepuscula Solidao

This has to be one the most beautiful songs of Cesaria Evora. She has a most haunting voice. She’s trading lines with another singer, who also possesses a lovely, dreamy voice. Wikipedia assures me the second voice belongs to Bonnie Raitt. I never would’ve guessed. For one, I didn’t know ol’ Bonnie knew Portuguese. Maybe she learned phonetically? Maybe Wikipedia is referring to Raitt playing some instrument on the record? Does anyone know?

Coragem Irmon

Your Lady is very very tired and doesn’t feel like writing to-day. How about six minutes and twenty seconds of Cesaria instead?

Consedjo

Cesaria Evora songs. Once you’ve heard one you’ve heard them all, you say. That’s not true at all. It just seems that way because you don’t understand Portuguese. They just flow over one another in a dreamy haze. It’s a slight that people think of Cesaria’s  songs as chintzy coffee house music. I’m as over cafes trying to seem cosmopolitan by piping in an endless stream of low-tempo jazz and world music as anyone. It’s a dying trend. But that’s not the music’s fault. An artiste of Cesaria Evora’s caliber is above and beyond the whims of cafe-society fancies.

Cize

I just keep putting Cesaria Evora songs on here, even though I don’t know much about her, don’t understand the words (but I’m pretty sure the gist is something about love and melancholia) and also they’re hard to differentiate. I don’t know what my favorite songs are until I hear them, and I don’t ever remember their names. As much as it saddens me that I can’t provide many deep thoughts, it’s not enough to discourage me. These songs, even when I don’t recall the titles, should be exposed to the weary world, and maybe it’ll do ya’ll some small bit of good.

Cinturao tem mele

Dance cha cha cha!

In unrelated news, I’m off to see The Dead Weather, so I don’t have time for in depth writing.

See you tomorrow.

Carnaval De Sao Vicente

Cesaria Evora is high up on my list of artists I would dearly love to see before they croak. I especially savor the possibility because I imagine that it’s not unlikely that she would play in a real small smoky intimate nightclub. Evora belongs in a hazy speakeasy, if such spots exist anymore. That makes me think it would be nice if she made a jazz record. A lot of highly unqualified people have hopped on the bandwagon, recording big band hits, and looking like an unqualified idiot doing so (I’m talking to you, Rod Stewart).  If anybody is qualified to reimagine some silver classics, this lady is it. I spend a lot of time thinking about who should cover what songs, and I’d like to hear Cesaria Evora sing Strange Fruit.

Besame Mucho

Besame Mucho is one  of the most frequently recorded, and hence most recognizable songs in the world. If you’re wondering, Cesaria Evora’s version is of course the best.  The Beatles also recorded a version – in English – back in the early days. Actually it was one of their earliest recordings, and they used it to audition for Decca. It never made it onto any albums, but you can hear it on the Anthology. There’s also an Elvis version.

Beijo Roubado

Thought we haven’t heard from Cesaria Evora in a bit. Evora makes the world’s greatest chill-out music. If I was the kind of person who got high, I would totally toke up to this, although I’m not and I don’t, I imagine it would be nice. It’s perfect music to sip tea and enjoy life to.

Apocalipse

Apocalipse, Cesaria Evora, Cabo Verde, 1997

Cesaria Evora was well into her fifties when she became the globally known musical ambassodor of Cape Verde. We know her as the smiling, smoking, barefoot grandmother. With her bright clothioes and jewels, her apple cheeks and gentle smile, she’s an appealingly huggable, warm. Her voice, her demeanor, her music; everything about her is maternal, soothing. She’s your favorite singing grandma. But sometimes you wonder about her life, her youth. She’s been singing since she was a teenager. Her life has often been hard. She’s raised a family. She’s struggled with alcoholism. Who was the young Cesaria? What did she sound like? How did she look? A new record answers some of those questions. These tracks were recorded for radio when the singer was in her twenties. This is the only picture of a youthful Cesaria Evora that I have seen. I can’t wait to hear this album. My new album shopping list is starting to get long.