Posts Tagged ‘ana moura’

Words by Gonçalo Frota

The Moura the merrier

By the time Ana Moura released her fourth album in 2009, Leva-me aos Fados, she had gone as far as she could down a particular road. If nothing else changed in her music, she would have been cursed to repeat the same record over and over again. Not that there would have been any harm in that, since her standards were high and solid. Her singing had grown surprisingly strong in the last few years, surpassing the more naive approach of her first two efforts, and she had successfully broadened her fado wide enough for it to include subtle Portuguese folk intonations and the saxophone of Tim Ries, part of the Rolling Stones touring band. But the time had come for her to take a step forward. And in order to do so, she needed to break loose from the past.

Fear not: Desfado is not a radical turnaround in Moura’s career. But it is the bold record everyone expected her to deliver after her collaborations with the Stones and Prince. Having proved what a tremendous singer she can be when keeping within the tight rules of the genre, the time had come for some risk-taking, profiting from Moura’s pop qualities. After parting ways with her long-term producer Jorge Fernando, Moura took a whole new direction with Desfado. She still records a couple of traditional numbers, but the majority of the album is written by younger songwriters, such as Deolinda’s Pedro da Silva Martins, António ‘fado meets bossa nova’ Zambujo and pop/rock artists like Virgem Suta, Manel Cruz, Miguel Araújo and Márcia Santos. She also adds a more international appeal with Larry Klein’s production and her take on Joni Mitchell’s ‘A Case of You’. ‘I Dream of Fire’ features jazz legend Herbie Hancock on electric piano. So, while stretching Moura’s reach, Desfado does not disappoint or mislead fado lovers. It’s simply a cry for freedom, beautifully crafted.

TRACK TO TRY: Desfado

(On Decca Records)

Click here to buy the album on Amazon

Click here to download the album on iTunes

Tags: ana moura, decca, desfado, fado, goncalo frota, top of the world.

The June 2013 issue of Songlines is now on sale. It includes our regular Top of the World CD with ten tracks from the finest new releases from around the planet. The CD also includes five tracks selected by Gogol Bordello frontman, Eugene Hütz.

The Top of the World CD features tracks from acclaimed Touareg guitarist Bombino; much-loved Portuguese singer Ana Moura; Algerian singer and activist Rachid Taha; iconic Brazilian composer Caetano Veloso; a tidal wave of Afro-Latin grooves from Family Atlantica and Gladiators’ bassist Clinton Fearon reinvents the band’s classic tracks, amongst others.

Pick up your copy here or at selected WHSmith’s and all good record retailers. Feast your ears on these all-new tracks:

* Bombino ‘Imuhur’ on Nonesuch Records
* Clinton Fearon ‘Let Jah be Praised’ on Sterns Music
* Amparo Sánchez ‘La Cuenta Atrás’ on Wrasse Records
* Family Atlantica ‘Manicero’ on Soundway Records
* Caetano Veloso ‘Um Abraçaço’ on Decca Records
* Bella Hardy ‘The Seventh Girl’ on Noe Records
* Debashish Bhattacharya ‘Kirwani One.5+8.Five’ on Riverboat Records
* Ana Moura ‘Amor Afoito’ on Decca Records
* Rachid Taha ‘Ana’ on Wrasse Records
* Stephan Micus ‘I Praise You, Sacred Mother’ on ECM Records

Plus Eugene Hütz’s playlist:

* Goran Bregović featuring Eugene Hütz ‘Be That Man’ on Wrasse Records
* Kozak System ‘Shablia’ on Kozak System Records
* Kapelle Böllberg ‘Mädchenpop’ on Kapelle Böllberg Records
* A Tribe Called Red ‘Electric Pow Wow Drum’ on A Tribe Called Red Records
* Seu Jorge and Almaz ‘The Model’ on Now-Again Records

Tags: a tribe called red, amparo sanchez, ana moura, bella hardy, Bombino, caetano veloso, clinton fearon, debashish bhattacharya, eugene hutz, family atlantica, gogol bordello, goran bregovic, kapelle bollberg, kozak system, my world, rachid taha, seu jorge, stephen micus.

So you’ve read about all the exciting music featured in the current issue of Songlines. But don’t forget that you can watch it and listen to it too. Each issue, we create a YouTube playlist of featured videos to give you the full Songlines interactive experience. You can view the playlist here.

Some of the highlights of this issue’s videos include:

Rokia Traoré (Read about our cover star’s new album and new Afro-indie direction on p32-35)

Staff Benda Bilili (Andy Morgan talks about the band’s split on p17) 

Lokkhi Terra (fantastic Bengali-Cuban-Afrobeat group, who play this year’s Songlines Encounters Festival; read more on p50-51) 

Ana Moura (read about how she’s taking fado further in our Beginner’s Guide on p52-53)

Tags: ana moura, lokkhi terra, Songlines Encounters, Staff Benda Bilili, youtube.

The April/ May 2013 issue of Songlines is on sale in the UK from March 15. As always, it comes with our Top of the World compilation CD, featuring ten tracks from the finest new albums from around the planet. The CD also includes five tracks selected by the British composer and viola player Jocelyn Pook, revealing her interest in Balkan brass, Brazilian forro and more. 

The Top of the World CD includes tracks from Malian cover star Rokia Traoré; charming young Mancunian fiddler Emma Sweeney; American old-time duo Tim O’Brien & Darrell Scott; oddball balladry from Alasdair Roberts & Friends;  Columbian psychedelia from Los Pirañas and expertly executed Bulgarian folk from Eva Quartet & Hector Zazou.

Tags: ana moura, ballake sissoko, ethno port, nile project, nominees 2013, rainforest festival, rokia traore, sam lee, sarawak, songlines, songlines music awards, top of the world, world music awards.