Cesária Évora
Encyclopedia
Cesária Évora is a Cape Verde
an popular singer. Nicknamed the "barefoot
diva
" for performing without shoes, Évora is perhaps the best internationally known practitioner of "morna."
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
an popular singer. Nicknamed the "barefoot
Barefoot
Barefoot is the state of not wearing any footwear. Being barefoot is regarded as a human's natural state, though for functional, fashion and social reasons footwear is worn, at least on some occasions...
diva
Diva
A diva is a celebrated female singer. The term is used to describe a woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, and, by extension, in theatre, cinema and popular music. The meaning of diva is closely related to that of "prima donna"....
" for performing without shoes, Évora is perhaps the best internationally known practitioner of "morna."
Early life
- 1941-1988: Cesária Évora – Cize to her friends – was born on the 27th August 1941 in Mindelo, Cape VerdeCape VerdeThe Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
. Her bright voice and physical charms were soon noticed, but her hope of a singing career remained unsatisfied. A Cape Verdean women’s group and the singer BanaBana (singer)Bana is a balladeer from Cape Verde and an interpreter of the morna, the plaintive, melodic lament which is a staple musical style of the country....
both took her to LisbonLisbonLisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
to cut a few tracks, but the recordings failed to catch the ear of a producer. In 1988, a young Frenchman of Cape Verdean extraction invited her to ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to make a record. At 47, she had nothing to lose. Having never seen ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, she agreed and her first album was released later in the year: La Diva Aux Pieds NusLa Diva Aux Pieds NusLa Diva Aux Pieds Nus is the debut album by Cesária Évora.-Track listing:#"Bia Lulucha"#"Destino negro"#"Passeio Samba"#"Frutu proibido"#"Lucy"#"Traz d'horizonte"#"Despidida de Immigrante"#"Cabo Verde Terra Estimada"...
(The Barefoot Diva) produced by Lusafrica. The zouk-flavoured coladera “Bia Lulucha” is a hit with the Cape Verdean community. She gave her first concert in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to a small crowd at the New Morning on the 1st October.
Later life and career
- 1990: Distino di Belita, her second album, includes acoustic mornas and electric coladeras. Its release is very low-key and her label decides to try a different tack, recording a purely acoustic record.
- 1991: Évora is in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to record her first acoustic album. Accompanied by the Mindel Band, she performs at the Angoulême Festival on the 2nd June and at the Paris New Morning on the 7th. While the ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
concert only draws a small number of Cape Verdean fans, the concert in AngoulêmeAngoulême-Main sights:In place of its ancient fortifications, Angoulême is encircled by boulevards above the old city walls, known as the Remparts, from which fine views may be obtained in all directions. Within the town the streets are often narrow. Apart from the cathedral and the hôtel de ville, the...
attracts interest from the specialised press (a first article in the LibérationLibérationLibération is a French daily newspaper founded in Paris by Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July in 1973 in the wake of the protest movements of May 1968. Originally a leftist newspaper, it has undergone a number of shifts during the 1980s and 1990s...
daily newspaper). Her Mar AzulMar Azul-Track listing:#"Mar Azul"#"Cize"#"Estanhadinha"#"Cabo Verde"#"Belga"#"Cretcheu Diceu"#"Cinturão Tem Mele "#"Separação"...
album is released at the end of October, word spreads and FM radio FIPFIP (radio station)FIP is a French radio network, founded in 1971. It is part of the Radio France group.-Concept:The concept behind FIP has scarcely changed since its founding: music interrupted by traffic updates and cultural information with a short news broadcast at 10 before the hour, with no advertising...
play-lists the record. A new concert is organised for the 14th December at the New Morning. Her performance stuns the now mainly European audience in the packed theatre. Véronique Mortaigne writes in the Le MondeLe MondeLe Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
daily: “Cesária Évora, a lively fifty-year-old, sings morna with mischievous devotion... (she) belongs to the world nobility of bar singers”. - 1992: With Mar AzulMar Azul-Track listing:#"Mar Azul"#"Cize"#"Estanhadinha"#"Cabo Verde"#"Belga"#"Cretcheu Diceu"#"Cinturão Tem Mele "#"Separação"...
, media excitement grows and radio stations such as France InterFrance InterFrance Inter is a major French public radio channel and part of Radio France. It is a "generalist" station, aiming to provide a wide national audience with a full service of news and intelligent spoken-word programming, both serious and entertaining, liberally punctuated with an eclectic mix of...
play-list the track. Évora performs at the Nîmes FeriaNîmesNîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
on the 7th June and Miss PerfumadoMiss Perfumado-Track listing:#"Sodade"#"Bia"#"Cumpade Ciznone"#"Direito Di Nasce"#"Luz Dum Estrela"#"Angola"#"Miss Perfumado"#"Vida Tem Um So Vida"#"Morabeza"#"Recordaï"#"Lua Nha Testemunha"#"Barbincor"#"Tortura"...
is released in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in October. The press compares Évora to Billie Holliday. Critics note the quality of her voice and provide many details that fuel her legend: Évora’s extravagant taste for cognac and tobacco, her hard life on Cape VerdeCape VerdeThe Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
’s forgotten islands, the warm nights of Mindelo... Concerts at the Théâtre de la VilleThéâtre de la VilleThe Théâtre de la Ville is one of the two theatres built in the 19th century by Baron Haussmann at Place du Châtelet, Paris; the other being the Théâtre du Châtelet...
in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on the 11 and 12 December are sold out a month in advance. Her first BrusselsBrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
concert is at the Botanique (7 December). - 1993: Miss PerfumadoMiss Perfumado-Track listing:#"Sodade"#"Bia"#"Cumpade Ciznone"#"Direito Di Nasce"#"Luz Dum Estrela"#"Angola"#"Miss Perfumado"#"Vida Tem Um So Vida"#"Morabeza"#"Recordaï"#"Lua Nha Testemunha"#"Barbincor"#"Tortura"...
is a smash hit in France (more than 300,000 copies sold to date). Évora performs for the first time in Lisbon at the Teatro São Luis (25 May) and the police are forced to hold back a crowd of fans who cannot get into the hall. Two full houses at the Paris OlympiaParis OlympiaThe Olympia is a music hall in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Located at No. 28, Boulevard des Capucines, its closest métro/RER stations are Madeleine, Opéra, Havre – Caumartin and Auber....
on the 12 and 13 June complete her triumph in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(the show is recorded and a “Live” album released on Parisian label Mélodie in 1996). She begins to tour the world: BarcelonaBarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
(21 June), in MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in the SpectrumSpectrum (Montreal)The Spectrum was a concert hall, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, that closed on August 5, 2007. Opened on October 17, 1982, as the Alouette Theatre, it was briefly renamed Club Montreal before receiving its popular name.The Spectrum had a capacity of about 1200 and had a "cabaret" setup with table...
(14 July), JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(end of October) and FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(30 concerts at the end of 1993). - 1994: Concerts in São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
(May). Caetano VelosoCaetano VelosoCaetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso , better known as Caetano Veloso, is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. Veloso first became known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicalismo which encompassed theatre, poetry and music in the 1960s,...
performs on stage with Évora and announces that she has a place among the great female singers who have inspired him. SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, the West Indies... Évora is a stage phenomenon. Her Lusafrica label sign her to BMGBMGBertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
and the record company releases a compilation entitled “Sodade, les plus belles Mornas de Cesaria” (Sodade, Cesaria’s finest mornas) in the autumn. Évora gives up drinking, but not smoking. - 1995: The album CesáriaCesáriaCesária is an album by Cesária Évora.-Track listing:#"Petit Pays"#"Xandinha"#"Tudo Tem Se Limite"#"Consedjo"#"D'Nhirim Reforma"#"Rotcha 'Scribida"#"Oriundina"#"Tudo Dia E Dia"#"Nha Cancera Ka Tem Medida"#"Areia De Salamansa"#"Flor Na Paul"...
(gold in France) is released in twenty countries including the USA (200,000 copies sold to date). The album is nominated for the Grammy Awards. Évora appears for 10 days at the BataclanBataclan (theatre)The Bataclan is a "salle de spectacle" at 50 boulevard Voltaire in the 11th arrondissement of Paris. It was built in 1864 by the architect Charles Duval. Its name refers to Ba-Ta-Clan, an operetta by Offenbach...
in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and goes on her first tour of North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, David ByrneDavid ByrneDavid Byrne may refer to:*David Byrne , musician and former Talking Heads frontman**David Byrne , his eponymous album*David Byrne , Irish footballer*David Byrne , English footballer...
, Branford MarsalisBranford MarsalisBranford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque.-Biography:Marsalis was born...
and New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
society flock to see her at the Bottom LineBottom LineThe Bottom Line was a music venue at 15 West Fourth Street between Mercer Street and Greene Street in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City...
. Goran BregovicGoran BregovicGoran Bregović is one of the most internationally known modern musicians and composers of the Balkans. He currently splits his time between Paris and Belgrade, where he settled down during the Yugoslav Wars.Bregović has composed for such varied artists as Iggy Pop and Cesária Évora...
asks her to record the song “Ausencia” for the original soundtrack of Emir KusturicaEmir KusturicaEmir Nemanja Kusturica , is a Serbian filmmaker, actor and musician, recognized for several internationally acclaimed feature films...
’s film Underground. - 1996: A year of tours: FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(40 concerts), SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(11 concerts), Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, the USA and CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(30 concerts), SenegalSenegalSenegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, the Ivory Coast and her first (sell-out) concert in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at the Queen Elizabeth HallQueen Elizabeth HallThe Queen Elizabeth Hall is a music venue on the South Bank in London, United Kingdom that hosts daily classical, jazz, and avant-garde music and dance performances. The QEH forms part of Southbank Centre arts complex and stands alongside the Royal Festival Hall, which was built for the Festival...
. She sings a duet with Caetano VelosoCaetano VelosoCaetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso , better known as Caetano Veloso, is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. Veloso first became known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicalismo which encompassed theatre, poetry and music in the 1960s,...
on the AIDS-Benefit album Red Hot + RioRed Hot + RioRed Hot + Rio is a compilation album produced by Paul Heck as part of the Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series intended to promote AIDS awareness. This installment is a contemporary tribute to the Bossa nova sound, especially the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim...
produced by the Red Hot OrganizationRed Hot OrganizationRed Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
. The ArteArteArte is a Franco-German TV network. It is a European culture channel and aims to promote quality programming especially in areas of culture and the arts...
TV channel devotes a documentary to her. Paulino Vieira (who co-produced the two albums “Miss Perfumado” and “Cesária” ) leaves the group and is replaced by the young, talented guitarist Rufino Almeida, known as Bau. - 1997: Release of the album Cabo VerdeCabo Verde (Cesária Évora)Cabo Verde is an album by Cesária Évora.- Track listing :# "Tchintchirote" # "Sabine Larga'm" # "Partida" # "Sangue de Beirona" # "Apocalipse"...
. Concerts programmed at the OlympiaParis OlympiaThe Olympia is a music hall in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Located at No. 28, Boulevard des Capucines, its closest métro/RER stations are Madeleine, Opéra, Havre – Caumartin and Auber....
in March and a world tour including her third tour of the USA. The album “Cabo Verde“ is also nominated for the Grammy Awards. She won KORA All African Music AwardsKora AwardsThe Kora Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. Founded in 1994 by Ernest Adjovi, they are comparable to the American Grammy Awards in intent...
in three categories: Best Artist of West Africa, Best Album and Merit of the Jury. - 1998: Évora is on the road again accompanied by Jacinto Pereira (cavaquinhoCavaquinhoThe cavaquinho is a small string instrument of the European guitar family with four wire or gut strings. It is also called machimbo, machim, machete , manchete or marchete, braguinha or braguinho, or cavaco.The most common tuning is D-G-B-D ; other tunings include D-A-B-E...
), José Paris (bass), Luis Ramos (guitars), Nando Andrade (piano), Totinho (saxophones and percussion) and Bau (guitars, cavaquinho, violin, band leader). From GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
to JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
to PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and the West Indies to LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Évora travels the world in 1998, but still finds time to record material for an album whose release is planned for April 1999. Before then, at the end of October, BMG releases the first “Best of Cesária Évora”, which includes all her fans’ favourite songs, as well as “Besame Mucho” (sung in Spanish), recorded the previous year for the original soundtrack of the film “Great ExpectationsGreat Expectations (1998 film)Great Expectations is a 1998 contemporary film adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel of the same name, directed by Alfonso Cuarón and starring Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert De Niro, Anne Bancroft and Chris Cooper. It is known for having moved the setting of the original novel from 1861...
”. In France, this “Best of” is certified gold three months later in January. - 1999: The year 1999 begins with a Grammy nomination for the album Miss PerfumadoMiss Perfumado-Track listing:#"Sodade"#"Bia"#"Cumpade Ciznone"#"Direito Di Nasce"#"Luz Dum Estrela"#"Angola"#"Miss Perfumado"#"Vida Tem Um So Vida"#"Morabeza"#"Recordaï"#"Lua Nha Testemunha"#"Barbincor"#"Tortura"...
(released in France in 1992, it only came out in the USA in 1998). The new album, entitled Café AtlanticoCafé AtlanticoCafé Atlantico is an album by Cesária Évora.- Track listing :# "Flôr di nha esperança"# "Vaquinha Mansa"# "Amor di mundo"# "Paraiso di atlantico"# "Sorte"# "Carnaval de São Vicente"# "Desilusão dum amdjer"# "Nho antone escaderode"...
, is released in France (300,000 copies to date), then worldwide in May. In March, Évora begins a world tour in Greece and again performs in North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in September and October. On stage, the band is enlarged to reflect the festive feel of the new repertoire: 12 musicians (including a violin section) are now led by pianist Nando Andrade. The tour ends in São SalvadorSalvador, BahiaSalvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, just after a series of four concerts given at the Paris OlympiaParis OlympiaThe Olympia is a music hall in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Located at No. 28, Boulevard des Capucines, its closest métro/RER stations are Madeleine, Opéra, Havre – Caumartin and Auber....
from the 7th to the 10th December. There, Évora receives several gold records presented by different BMG subsidiaries. - 2000: Café AtlanticoCafé AtlanticoCafé Atlantico is an album by Cesária Évora.- Track listing :# "Flôr di nha esperança"# "Vaquinha Mansa"# "Amor di mundo"# "Paraiso di atlantico"# "Sorte"# "Carnaval de São Vicente"# "Desilusão dum amdjer"# "Nho antone escaderode"...
is nominated for the Grammy Awards and Évora wins a French Victoires de la MusiqueVictoires de la MusiqueVictoires de la musique , is an annual French award ceremony that recognizes the best musical artists of the year.- Male artist of the year :*1985 : Michel Jonasz*1986 : Jean-Jacques Goldman*1987 : Johnny Hallyday...
award in the “Best World Album” category, just before taking to the road again in April for her first major Latin AmericaLatin AmericaLatin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n tour of CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. After ScandinaviaScandinaviaScandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
in May, she sets out on another tour (of festivals) in the USA and EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. - 2001: São Vicente di LongeSão Vicente di Longe-Track listing:#"Sao Vicente Di Longe"#"Homem Na Meio Di'Homem"#"Tiempo Y Silencio "#"Sabor De Pecado"#"Dor Si Amor"#"Nutridinha"#"Regresso "#"Esperanca Irisada"#"Ponta De Fi"...
, Cesária Évora’s 8th studio album is recorded in Paris, La Havana and Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
. Nearly sixty musicians, arrangers and sound engineers work on the project in an environment that bears absolutely no resemblance to the conditions the singer recorded in at the start of her studio career. The album is as successful as “Café Atlantico”. It is also nominated for the Grammy Awards in the USA and the Victoires de la MusiqueVictoires de la MusiqueVictoires de la musique , is an annual French award ceremony that recognizes the best musical artists of the year.- Male artist of the year :*1985 : Michel Jonasz*1986 : Jean-Jacques Goldman*1987 : Johnny Hallyday...
in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Évora is still on the road: 120 concerts in 2001 alone, including the Paris Zénith with around twenty Cape Verdean artists. - 2002: A new major tour is planned that will take Évora to the five continents, with – for the first time – a series of concerts in Eastern EuropeEastern EuropeEastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
(RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, MacedoniaRepublic of MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, Hungary), as well as SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, TahitiTahitiTahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
and NouméaNouméaNouméa is the capital city of the French territory of New Caledonia. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre, and is home to the majority of the island's European, Polynesian , Indonesian, and Vietnamese populations, as well as many Melanesians,...
. On the 20th June, BMG publishes an “Anthology”, compiling live audience favourites and a new version of “Sodade” sung in a duet with BongaBonga (musician)Bonga Kwenda , better known as Bonga, is a folk and semba singer and songwriter from Angola. Bonga was born in 1943 in the province of Bengo, and left Angola at age 23 to become an athlete, becoming the Portuguese record holder for the 400 metres...
, the greatest vocal artist in Angolan music and one of Cesaria’s oldest friends. - 2003: begins with 3 concerts in Hong-Kong (1, 2 and 3 March). This new world tour includes Spain, RomaniaRomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, among other countries, together with a huge North American tour, including 40 cities east to West. On June 17, BMG releases “Club Sodade”, a project bringing together 10 of the Diva’s best songs, revisited by some of the most creative DJ’s of the house scene: Carl CraigCarl CraigCarl Craig is a Detroit-based producer of techno music, and is considered to be one of the most important names in the Detroit second generation of techno producers and DJs...
, Kerri ChandlerKerri ChandlerKerri 'Kaoz' Chandler, one of deep House Music's originators, has been injecting soul into music since the early nineties. An ambassador of the 4/4 beat, Kerri's influences can be traced back to New Jersey growing up in a family of jazz musicians. His father being a deejay, provided Kerri with a...
, Pepe BradockPépé BradockPépé Bradock , is a French DJ, producer, and remixer of house music.-Early life:Bradock learned the guitar at an early age and began playing in jazz-funk bands around Paris.-Career:...
, Señor CoconutUwe SchmidtUwe Schmidt , is a German composer, musician and producer of electronic music. He is often regarded as the father of electrolatino, electrogospel and acitón music.- Career :...
, Francois K.François KevorkianFrançois Kevorkian, alias François K, is a French DJ of Armenian origin, remixer, producer and record label owner. Having started his career in renowned clubs such as the Paradise Garage and Studio 54, the New York City resident is widely considered as one of the forefathers of house...
, and many others… This release is a prelude to Évora’s new studio album, entitled “Voz d’Amor”, published by BMG internationally in September 2003, and highly acclaimed by the press worldwide. - 2004: Voz d'AmorVoz d'Amor- Track listing :#"Isolada"#"Velocidade"#"Amdjer De Nos Terra"#"Beijo Roubado"#"Djarmai Di Meu"#"Monte Cara"#"Ramboia"#"Jardim Prometido"#"Nha Coracao Tchora"#"Saia Travada"#"Pomba"#"Mar De Canal"#"Milca Ti Lidia"#"Voz D'Amor"-External links:...
is awarded in the beginning of 2004, in the « Best World Music Album » category, by both a Grammy Awards (in the US) and a Victoires de la MusiqueVictoires de la MusiqueVictoires de la musique , is an annual French award ceremony that recognizes the best musical artists of the year.- Male artist of the year :*1985 : Michel Jonasz*1986 : Jean-Jacques Goldman*1987 : Johnny Hallyday...
(in France). The year 2004 is a very European year for Évora: she gives 82 concerts in 24 different European countries. Amongst them 5 sold out shows in Paris' Le Grand RexLe Grand RexLe Grand Rex is the largest cinema, theater and music venue in Paris, with 2,800 seats. An atmospheric theatre, the cinema features a starred "sky" overhead, as well as interior fountains. The cinema is a landmark of Art Deco style architecture. It features the largest screen in Europe, called...
. This series of concert is filmed for a DVD, that is released on the following October. - 2005: Évora begins the year 2005 with a tour which brings her from the Baltic StatesBaltic statesThe term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
to South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Due to a surgical operation she has to interrupt the tour in May, just before several shows planned in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Fortunately, this interruption is quite short. In September, Évora returns to the studios to record her new album, and goes back on a tour from SiberiaSiberiaSiberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
(4 shows in October) to BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. - 2006: RogamarRogamar-Track listing:#"Sombras di distino"#"Um pincelada"#"Avenida marginal"#"Africa nossa" #"Tiche"#"São tomé na equador"#"Rogamar"#"Amor e mar"#"Modje trofel"#"Rosie"#"Travessa de peixeira"#"Mas um sonho"#"Mar nha confidente"...
, Évora’s tenth album is released on March 6. Fifteen tracks, including a duet with Ismaël LôIsmaël LôIsmaël Lô is a Senegalese musician. He was born in Dogondoutchi, Niger on 30 August 1956, to a Senegalese father and a Nigerien mother. Shortly after Lo's birth the family returned to Senegal where they settled in the town of Rufisque, near the capital Dakar. He also plays the guitar and the...
on “Africa Nossa”, make this album sound like a link between AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Évora begins a new tour in North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
(Mexico, U.S.A. and Canada) before playing in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
at Le Grand RexLe Grand RexLe Grand Rex is the largest cinema, theater and music venue in Paris, with 2,800 seats. An atmospheric theatre, the cinema features a starred "sky" overhead, as well as interior fountains. The cinema is a landmark of Art Deco style architecture. It features the largest screen in Europe, called...
and at some of major European festivals. - 2007: Évora begins her 2007 tour in HungaryHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
with a show in DebrecenDebrecenDebrecen , is the second largest city in Hungary after Budapest. Debrecen is the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar county.- Name :...
and two others in BudapestBudapestBudapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
on April 6, 7 and 8th before performing in RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in Saint PetersburgSaint PetersburgSaint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, MoscowMoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and YekaterinburgYekaterinburgYekaterinburg is a major city in the central part of Russia, the administrative center of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Situated on the eastern side of the Ural mountain range, it is the main industrial and cultural center of the Urals Federal District with a population of 1,350,136 , making it Russia's...
in front of a won over audience. Her success in the former eastern block does not decrease but unfortunately that series of concerts is put to an end and her tour in the US scheduled for June and July cancelled. The doctors have diagnosed a coronary problem and decide to have Évora operated. She only hits the road again at the end of the year with a series of shows in Russia. - 2008: The new tour starts in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. But suffering from a stroke after her MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
concert, Évora is admitted at the hospital and is repatriated to Paris for further examination. The tour is cancelled and Évora is obligated to rest for several months. Lusafrica takes advantage of that quiet period to release the recordings Évora had done for various local radio stations of Mindelo when she was in her twenties back in the early 1960s. Released in November, the “Radio Mindelo” album comes with a richly illustrated book with pictures and documents of the time. These 22 tracks, mostly exclusive, delight the fans, helping them wait for a new studio album. - 2009: Évora is doing much better and gets back onstage but she needs to take it easy so her public appearances become less frequent than in the past. Her new album Nha SentimentoNha SentimentoNha Sentimento is an album by Cesária Évora.- Track listing :# "Serpentina"# "Verde cabo di nhas odjos"# "Vento de sueste"# "Ligereza"# "Zinha"# "Fatalidade"# "Esperança di mar azul"# "Sentimento"# "Tchom frio"# "Noiva de ceu"...
is scheduled for October 26. Recorded between February and May 2009 in Mindelo and Paris, it includes 14 tracks mainly written by her two fetish authors Manuel de NovasManuel de NovasManuel d' Novas was a Cape Verdean poet and composer.Born Manuel Jesus Lopes on the island of Santo Antão, he became one of the most important poets and composers of Cape Verde. His music is known all over the world, through performers like Cesária Évora. He lived in Mindelo on the island of São...
and Teofilo ChantreTeófilo ChantreTeófilo Chantre is a Cape Verdean musician.He was born on the island of São Nicolau. At the age of thirteen, Chantre's family left Cape Verde and migrated to Paris, France...
. - 2010: In 2010, Evora did series of concerts, the last of which was in Lisbon - on May 8. On May 10, after a heart attack, she was operated on at a hospital in Paris. On the morning of May 11 she was taken off artificial pulmonary ventilation, and on May 16, was discharged from the Intensive Unit and transported to a clinic for further treatment.
- 2011 In late September 2011, Evora's agent Lusafrica announced that she had ended her singing career due to poor health.
Studio albums
- La Diva Aux Pieds NusLa Diva Aux Pieds NusLa Diva Aux Pieds Nus is the debut album by Cesária Évora.-Track listing:#"Bia Lulucha"#"Destino negro"#"Passeio Samba"#"Frutu proibido"#"Lucy"#"Traz d'horizonte"#"Despidida de Immigrante"#"Cabo Verde Terra Estimada"...
(1988) - Distino di BelitaDistino de BelitaDistino di Belita is an album by Cesária Évora.-Track listing:#"Bitina"#"Nova Sintra"#"Emigranti"#"Tanha"#"Salamansa"#"Odji Maguado"#"T'imbutchode"#"Distino Di Belita"#"Nova Sintra"#"Pontero"...
(1990) - Mar AzulMar Azul-Track listing:#"Mar Azul"#"Cize"#"Estanhadinha"#"Cabo Verde"#"Belga"#"Cretcheu Diceu"#"Cinturão Tem Mele "#"Separação"...
(1991) - Miss PerfumadoMiss Perfumado-Track listing:#"Sodade"#"Bia"#"Cumpade Ciznone"#"Direito Di Nasce"#"Luz Dum Estrela"#"Angola"#"Miss Perfumado"#"Vida Tem Um So Vida"#"Morabeza"#"Recordaï"#"Lua Nha Testemunha"#"Barbincor"#"Tortura"...
(1992) - CesáriaCesáriaCesária is an album by Cesária Évora.-Track listing:#"Petit Pays"#"Xandinha"#"Tudo Tem Se Limite"#"Consedjo"#"D'Nhirim Reforma"#"Rotcha 'Scribida"#"Oriundina"#"Tudo Dia E Dia"#"Nha Cancera Ka Tem Medida"#"Areia De Salamansa"#"Flor Na Paul"...
(1995) - Cabo Verde (1997)
- Café AtlanticoCafé AtlanticoCafé Atlantico is an album by Cesária Évora.- Track listing :# "Flôr di nha esperança"# "Vaquinha Mansa"# "Amor di mundo"# "Paraiso di atlantico"# "Sorte"# "Carnaval de São Vicente"# "Desilusão dum amdjer"# "Nho antone escaderode"...
(1999) - São Vicente di LongeSão Vicente di Longe-Track listing:#"Sao Vicente Di Longe"#"Homem Na Meio Di'Homem"#"Tiempo Y Silencio "#"Sabor De Pecado"#"Dor Si Amor"#"Nutridinha"#"Regresso "#"Esperanca Irisada"#"Ponta De Fi"...
(2001) - Voz d'AmorVoz d'Amor- Track listing :#"Isolada"#"Velocidade"#"Amdjer De Nos Terra"#"Beijo Roubado"#"Djarmai Di Meu"#"Monte Cara"#"Ramboia"#"Jardim Prometido"#"Nha Coracao Tchora"#"Saia Travada"#"Pomba"#"Mar De Canal"#"Milca Ti Lidia"#"Voz D'Amor"-External links:...
(2003) - RogamarRogamar-Track listing:#"Sombras di distino"#"Um pincelada"#"Avenida marginal"#"Africa nossa" #"Tiche"#"São tomé na equador"#"Rogamar"#"Amor e mar"#"Modje trofel"#"Rosie"#"Travessa de peixeira"#"Mas um sonho"#"Mar nha confidente"...
(2006) - Nha SentimentoNha SentimentoNha Sentimento is an album by Cesária Évora.- Track listing :# "Serpentina"# "Verde cabo di nhas odjos"# "Vento de sueste"# "Ligereza"# "Zinha"# "Fatalidade"# "Esperança di mar azul"# "Sentimento"# "Tchom frio"# "Noiva de ceu"...
(2009)
Compilations & live albums
- Sodade - Les Plus Belles Mornas de Cesária (Best of compilation, 1994)
- Club Sodade (Remix album, 1996)
- Live à l'Olympia (Live album, recorded at the Paris OlympiaParis OlympiaThe Olympia is a music hall in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Located at No. 28, Boulevard des Capucines, its closest métro/RER stations are Madeleine, Opéra, Havre – Caumartin and Auber....
, 1996) - Colors of the World (Allegro Music, 1997)
- Live Lugano July 1997 (Live album, recorded at LuganoLuganoLugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
, 1997) - Best Of (Best of compilation, 1998) CANCanadian Recording Industry AssociationMusic Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
: Gold - Anthology (Best of compilation, 2002)
- Anthologie - Mornas & Coladeras (Double CD edition of Anthology, 2004)
- Live d'Amor (Live DVDDVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, recorded in 2004 at Le Grand RexLe Grand RexLe Grand Rex is the largest cinema, theater and music venue in Paris, with 2,800 seats. An atmospheric theatre, the cinema features a starred "sky" overhead, as well as interior fountains. The cinema is a landmark of Art Deco style architecture. It features the largest screen in Europe, called...
, ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, 2004) - Un Geste Pour Haiti"
External links
- Official Website
- Cesária Évora discography at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Representative company of Cesária Évora in Greece and Cyprus
- Complete discography with tracks, some real audio files and lyrics
- Unofficial French-language site
- The International Country of Cesária Évora
- bio
- Boston Globe article
- BBC
- Biography at Africanmusic.org
- Biography And Music Of The "BareFoot Diva", *Cesaria Evora*
- Interview on NPR
- Afropop Worldwide Biography of Cesária Évora
- David Byrne's cover of "Ausencia"
- World Music Central's Biography of Cesária Évora
- http://sicnoticias.sapo.pt/cultura/2011/09/23/cesaria-cvora-poe-fim-a-carreira