Rogamar

by Cesaria Evora

Overview

Three years after her Grammy-winning Voz d'Amor, Cape Verdean superstar Cesaria Evora returned with her tenth album, Rogamar. Recorded in Mindelo, Sao Vicente, Evora's hometown, and Paris (Caetano Veloso arranger Jacques Morelenbaum added the strings in Rio de Janeiro), Rogamar is a lovely piece of work, with most of the 15 tracks written for her by her talented Cape Verdean songwriting team. The songs, as evidenced by the title of the album (which translates to "pray to the sea"), speak of love, loss, island life, and humankind within the context of the ocean. Water is the recurrent theme; it is present constantly, and is something to which life can be compared: it takes and it brings, it is love and it is separation, it is a friend and it is death. Adding to this is Evora's voice, which constantly alludes to the sea, and can be quick and choppy, or long and smooth, but mostly is clear and fluid and is what controls the album and gives it life. Yes, the instrumentation is wonderful and contributes greatly to the songs (although sometimes Morelenbaum's strings are a little too much, nearly overpowering the rest of the band), accenting the sadness or longing, the celebration, the desire, but it is Evora who decides what and how the songs are really supposed to be. She is willing to create seeming incongruity (like in the up-tempo "Um Pincelada," in which the singer explains her understanding of the world and a lifetime of disappointments, with resignation thick in her voice), to hope for "peace and progress" in "Africa Nossa" (which features Senegalese folksinger Ismael Lo), or to slyly offer friendship to a woman who trusts no one, in "Rosie." Outside factors contribute, but Evora is the real decision-maker. She has each song mean exactly what she wants it to mean, and listeners are all the better for it, anyway, because at least then they can try to comprehend, just a little bit, the life of this remarkable singer. ~ Marisa Brown

Product Details

Release Date:	03/07/2006
Label:	Rca Victor
UPC:	0828767899329

Tracks

1. Sombras di Distino (Shadows of Destiny)
2. Um Pincelada (A Brushstroke)
3. Avenida Marginal (Avenida Marginal)
4. Africa Nossa (Our Africa)
5. Tiche (Tiche)
6. S¿¿o Tom¿¿ Na Equador (S¿¿o Tom¿¿ at the Equator)
7. Rogamar (Pray to the Sea)
8. Amor E Mar (Love and the Sea)
9. Modje Trofel (Naughty Sauce)
10. Rosie
11. Travessa de Peixeira (In Fishwife's Alley)
12. Mas Um Sonho (Another Dream)
13. Mar Nha Confidente (The Sea Is My Confidant)
14. Saiona d'Vinte Ano (20-Year-Old Big Skirt)
15. Vaga Lenta (Slow Wave)

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Cesaria Evora   Primary Artist,Chant,Vocals
Ismael Lo   Guest Artist,Chant
Denner Campolina   Double Bass,Contrabass
Mario Masse   Flute
Janise Delgado   Choeurs,Vocals (Background)
Fredi Sousa   Repique,Tamborim
Valerie Tribord   Choeurs,Vocals (Background)
Jesuina Noronha Passaroto   Violin,Violone
Ana Maria Cruz Brito   Vocals (Background),Choeurs
Alceu Reis   Cello
Marie-Paule Tribord   Choeurs,Vocals (Background)
Pascoal Perrotta   Violin,Violone
Adja Kouyate   Choeurs,Vocals (Background)
Antonella Pareschi   Violin,Violone
Ademiro Jose "Miroca" Miranda   Choeurs,Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Julian Corrales Subida   Violin,Violone
Helton Lima   Surdo,Tamborim,Tambourine
Ricardo Amado   Violin,Violone
Nando Gomes   Repique,Tamborim,Tambourine
Assan MBaye   Percussion
Jose Antonio "Ze" DeAlmeida   Cavaquinho
Marcus R. Oliveira   Cello
Djanka Diabate   Choeurs,Vocals (Background)
Jairo Diniz   Violin,Violone
Walter Hack   Violin,Violone
Joao Daltro   Violone
Jaques Morelenbaum   Director,Conductor
Ze Canuto   Flute
Virgilio Julio "Gil" Duarte   Guitar (Bass),Bass (Acoustic)
Marcelo Bernardes   Flute
Regis Gizavo   Accordion
Daniel Guedes   Violin,Violone
Joao Pina "Kako" Alves   Guitar,Choeurs,Soloist,Cavaquinho,Vocals (Background)
Jose Alves   Violone
Michel Bessler   Violin,Violone
Bernardo Bessler   Violin,Violone,Concert Comedienne
Marcello Isdebski Salles   Cello
Antonio Fernandes   Sax (Alto),Sax (Tenor),Sax (Soprano),Vocals (Background)
Iura Ranevsky   Cello
Erasmo Fernandes   Violin,Violone
Rogerio Rosa   Violin,Violone
Lina Lopes   Choeurs,Vocals (Background)
Ricardo Taboada   Violone

Technical Credits

Pascoal Perrotta   Orchestra Manager
Francois Post   Art Coordinator
Luis Rendall   Composer
Constantino Cardoso   Composer
Ravi Maquindus   Assistant
Teofilo Chantre   Composer
Stephanie Caisson   Mixing,Engineer
Ismael Lo   Duet,Composer
Jaques Morelenbaum   Producer,Realization,Orchestral Arrangements
Fernando Andrade   Mixing
Ray Lema   Composer
Nando Da Cruz   Composer
Manuel de Novas   Composer
Marcelo Saboia   Engineer
Jon Luz   Composer
Raphael Jonin   Mastering
Jose "Zezum" DaSilva   Mixing,Producer