Best Of

Cape Verde's Césaria Évora was 47 years old before her career really took off on an international level in the late '80s, and she quickly became known as the foremost purveyor of the morna, which blends West African percussion with Portuguese fados, Brazilian modhinas, and British sea shanties into beautiful and haunting songs of longing, and she is equally at home singing coladera, which are songs that flip the coin on morna from sad longing to joyous playfulness. This set draws from her various RCA releases, and includes Evora's warm, soft-burred tenor on blues-steeped laments like her signature "Sodade," which finds her vocal turning melancholic, lilting, and then quietly joyous, all within a phrase or two. (www.allmusic.com)

1. Besame Mucho 4:55
2. Sodade 3:44
3. Luiza previously unreleased 5:43
4. Tudo Tem Se Limite 4:35
5. Sabine Largam' 3:09
6. Miss Perfumado 4:32
7. Cinturão Tem Mele 3:35
8. Vida Tem Um Só Vida 5:39
9. Papa Joachin Paris 4:36
10. Petit Pays 3:48
11. Cize 5:22
12. Mar Azul 3:38
13. Nha Cancera Ka Tem Medida (My Fatigue Is Endless) 3:53
14. Sangue de Beirona 3:35
15. Angola 4:24
16. Partida 3:14
17. Cabo Verde Terra Estimada 4:34