Concert: Mayra Andrade

Mayra Andrade at De Roma, Antwerp (April 4th 2008)
Click pictures for full size.

You might remember the beautiful music of Mayra Andrade from this post by El Guiri back in 2007. Last week both El Guiri and myself had the opportunity to see her live, which we couldn't let pass of course. The Cape Verdean beauty is nominated for won the BBC World Music Award for Best Newcomer this year, and after a previous concert experience we were anxious to hear new material.

The setting - an old cinema transformed to cosy jazz club with tables and candles - fit the music very well: her acoustic mix of typical Cape Verdean rhythms (morna, batuque), the multicultural eclecticism of Paris, and Afro-Brazilian elements is best enjoyed leaning back and sipping a glass of quality wine. Though a little more enthusiasm from the audience, consisting mainly of bald fifty-somethings, would have been welcome.

We were sold from the first note, impressed by Mayra's enchanting voice and - let's be honest - stunning beauty. Opening track "Dimokransa" might be a harsh sketch of the failure of democracy and its ideals, she presented it like a soft sea breeze on a sunny day in Cape Verde. Next was the sparkling "Nha Sibitchi", one of the best songs off her 2006 debut Navega. And a little later she charmed the whole audience with the story behind "Comme S'il En Pleuvait", about an old beggar she passed on her way to school every day, who told her about how she used to get everything she wanted, comme s'il en pleuvait (as if it fell from the sky).

Her voice was notably rougher than on Navega, which gave the songs a little more soul. Mayra's sound of voice is something between that of a strong jazz diva and a small girl-with-guitar, sometimes sultry and powerful, sometimes of a melancholic beauty. On "Destina Maior: Amar" (originally by jazz saxophonist Carlos Martins, but perfectly adapted for two guitars tonight) she showed her vocal skills again by improvising like a true muse.


Also a special mention for her Brazilian percussionist Ze Luis Nascimento, who managed to create spectacular sounds out of his impressive drum kit, consisting among others of some kind of amphora, shells, keys, and even his seat (a flamenco instrument called cajón). The two guitarists are also clearly professionals, and their small guitars (cavaquinhos) can recall an illusion of summer sun and sea salt like no other instruments.

Sadly the only new song, "Kem Ki Ben Ki Ta Bai" didn't leave a big impression. "Regassu" - her ode to morna - and "Lua" were the bis songs, but afterwards Mayra returned one more time for a majestic a capella performance (we think it was a cover of that other Cape Verdean legend, Cesaria Evora). We left the venue with goosebumps, a worthy ending for a fantastic show.


Check Mayra's website for upcoming tour dates, this summer she's crossing the ocean for performances in New York, Chicago and Montreal. If you can't make it for the unforgettable live experience, have a look at this video for a nice impression. I didn't manage to find live audio, but I'm sure the two gems off Navega below will manage to fill that void!

(PS: Read our full review in Dutch over at Tropicalidad!)

Mayra Andrade - Navega mp3 buy@iTunes (Europe only) buy@Amazon
Mayra Andrade - Comme S'il En Pleuvait mp3 buy@iTunes (Europe only) buy@Amazon

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Mayra Andrade - Navega

While we're exploring Brazil's biggest talents this week, we make an exception for this album: Mayra Andrade doesn't sing in Brazilian/Portuguese, but in her very own Cape Verdean Creole (for your information, Cabo Verde is an archipelago 500km off the coast of Senegal). The thing is, she is just so good that we want to make sure you don't miss out on her, so prepare for some Cape Verdean vibes!

Although Mayra Andrade's music is clearly marked by the Cape Verdean atmosphere, Mayra herself has had a taste of an enormous variety of cultures: she was born 1985 in La Habana, Cuba, but grew up between Senegal, Angola, Germany and Cape Verde. Since 2003, she has been living in Paris. Her international career is just getting started: after being discovered in Canada when she was 16, she toured in Cape Verde, Portugal and France for a long time and she was also the supporting act for Cape Verdean legend Cesaria Evora, a major influence in her work. Nevertheless, she hadn't recorded anything proper until last year, when she finally released her debut album Navega - the gem we're talking about here.

Although Mayra's exotic Creole singing on the album sounds very seductive, it's actually a shame for us -foreign listeners- that she didn't opt for Portuguese: unlike most Portuguese songs, I couldn't hardly understand a word of what she's saying, until I bumped into English translations for all of the songs on this album, on Mayra's website. And so, I discovered yet another layer of Andrade's music: not only does she have an extremely jazzy, sensual voice and a cute face, judging by her lyrics she also appears to be smart. She sings about real themes, such as failing democracy, poverty, love, etc.

On this album, Mayra Andrade takes us on a trip to her isle. Islands, as we all know, are usually surrounded by water, so we shouldn't be surprised to hear that a marine feeling dominates this album. The title, "Navega" (sail, navigate), says it all. It's as if this album contained two different story lines: one inside the lyrics, the other one inside the music. In the very first track, "Dimokransa", the music almost makes you feel the salty sea breeze on the Cape Verdean coast caress your face, while Mayra is actually singing about failing democracy, referring to important figures in Cape Verdean history. Two completely different sensations -marine atmosphere but seriously political lyrics-, fitted together in such a way that you can only profoundly enjoy this song. And not only this song, because high standards are maintained throughout the entire album: "Mana" is a slow bossa ballad about a girl who followed her ambitions, only to find out that money isn't everything. The French "Comme s'il en pleuvait" is the only song on the album where Mayra doesn't sing in her mother tongue, but that still doesn't take away the marine feeling: just guitars, saxophone and Mayra's hoarse voice, mmm... In the slower "Nha Sibitchi", Andrade describes some of her neighbours in Cape Verde, and in "Navega", the lyrics finally connect with the marine sound: while Mayra sings about how hard it is for a fisherman's wife to fearfully await her husband's safe return, the gracefully rippling music reflects tears of love and the water of the stormy sea at the same time. From this track on, things only get even better: "Poc li dente é tcheu" is about the heart-rending choice between poverty and emigration - the paradisiacal beauty of Cape Verde doesn't take away its misery. To the sound of guitars and cello, Mayra sings goodbye in "Dispidida". But we don't say goodbye to her until the very last note of "Regasu", Mayra Andrade's ode to morna - the Cape Verdean genre full of saudade that Cesaria Evora brought to international attention.

Think of this album as a "navegação": embark in Mayra's boat and sail the seven seas with her. We did it with pleasure. Actually, we enjoyed it so much that we can't wait for the next album to come out! But until then: mommy, can I go again?

Mayra Andrade - Dimokransa mp3 buy@iTunes (Europe only) buy@Amazon
Mayra Andrade - Dispidida mp3 buy@iTunes (Europe only) buy@Amazon

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