Voz D'Amor Cesaria Evora Bluebird, 2003   Buy it online Reviewed by Mark Gallo	Cesaria Evora is, you'll forgive the cliché, a musical treasure. With a voice as rich as a rare honey and as evocative as a warm summer breeze, this Portuguese chanteuse is in possession of one of the most enchanting voices in music. Recorded in Paris, Evora's most recent album -- the 14-songVoz D'Amour -- is a delight and one of the most moving collections of the past year. The Cape Verdean vocalist first turned heads on the international stage a decade ago when she was in her 50s. Now considered one of the leading figures in the morna style, a sort of slow paced blues packed with mournful lyrics, her 9th studio album is an instant classic. Dubbed the "barefoot diva" for her habit of performing shoeless, Evora's voice is reminiscent of a mix of Edith Piaf and Billie Holiday, rich and instantly recognizable. Cesaria is a woman with wisdom in her face and eyes to compliment the magically transportive vocals. Voz D'Amour (Voice of Love) is one of the finest albums to caress these ears in a long time. On the opening "Isolada," she sings, "'M ta conche um mulata/Qui ta vive fichado/Isolada num gaiola/Cor dip rata." The accompanying booklet offers lyrics in both Portuguese and English, so that the listener understands the words. "I know a mulatto girl/Who lives locked away/Isolated in a cage/of Silver." I'm inclined to think the interpretations are not necessary. Music is a transcendent language. Accompanied by Hamilton de Holanda's mandoline, Joao Pina Alves' beautifully performed guitar and arranger Fernando Andrade's piano, the song is hypnotic and enticing. The following "Volocidade" is slightly more up tempo and swirling and sung to the accompaniment of a deeply woody clarinet over a hip swaying vocal choir, and on "Jardim Prometido" the accordion backing sounds like a chromatic harmonica. It is clearly a collaborative effort with the vocalist and instrumentalists bringing the richness of the music to life. Still, Evora is the center of this musically fetching universe. It is a voice that brings tears for its purity, its humanity and its grandeur. Cesaria Evora's is one of the great voices of our times, whether in somber or celebratory mood. This is an album well deserving of the Grammy it was awarded. Voz D'Amour comes highly recommended from these quarters. | March 2004   Mark Gallo is a long-time freelance music journalist whose byline has appeared in over 30 publications in the past 25 years. He has also been a DJ, publicist and archivist/researcher. When not writing about music he is a social worker.