Lovely tunes from the greatest Caboverdean aesthete
Estrelinha | 04/07/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Teofilo Chantre hasn't yet become as famous as his compatriot Cesaria Evora... and I should say it's a crying shame he hasn't, because this album is a real treat, anyone who likes Cesaria Evora or good Brazilian music like Tom Jobim or Vinicius Cantuaria, or just beautiful and lyrical songs, is absolutely certain to love it. Teo is a singer-songwriter and arranger, he emigrated to France when he was very young, and his music is influenced by various musical styles from a lot of countries besides Cabo Verde - mainly Brazilian bossanova and Caribbean rhythms. I feel he's a real aesthete and intellectual - he has managed to create his very unique style, without any repetitiveness or "aping", his arrangements are sophisticated in the best sense of the word, and each song of this disk has its own particular flavour. Sina de Mamae-Terra, wistful and dreamy, has a touch of Portugal (it always reminds me of my trip to Portugal two years ago... when I was making a film about the trip, I even used this song in the fragment about Cabo da Roca - it goes perfectly well with rocks wrapped in mist and washed by foam), Livrona de Nha Pai is a lovely coladeira, Cruz de Jom d'Ebra is a morna à la Amandio Cabral, Tchoro Quemode has a Caribbean flavour... Sina de dos Alma and Ponta Linda are... just GEMS. And above all, Teo's sensual, velvety voice, his sincerity and his vulnerability, make this treasury of stylistic diversity and sofistication really stunning. This guy has personality, believe me. A must for all Cesaria Evora's fans!!!
P.S. In May 2004, new album by Teofilo is coming... I'm sure it will be as glorious as this one :)"
