(EMI)
Mariza has gone back to her roots with an album that is both bravely sparse and, at just 35 minutes long, mysteriously brief. Over the last 10 years she has transformed the fado scene, bringing the traditional "Portuguese blues" to an international audience, and in the process has extended her musical range. On her last album, Terra, she mixed fado with flamenco, Cape Verdean morna and Brazilian jazz, and was backed by trumpet and piano, while for her live set, Concerto em Lisboa, she made use of massed strings. This time round, it's very different, for there's only an acoustic guitar trio to back her powerful and passionate singing. There's nothing wrong in that ? this was the lineup she used when she made her dramatic London debut just over eight years ago ? but this set is unexpectedly lacking in variety, despite the changes in pace. She concentrates on traditional fado, which means the melodies are traditional, though new lyrics can be added, and there are some fine songs here, from the pained Mais Uma Lua to the upbeat Dona Rosa and ? best of all ? the anguished Ai, Esta Pena de Mim, partly sung unaccompanied. It's an impressive set, but fado is concerned with emotion, and the occasional intimate song would have been welcome among her dramatic and declamatory revivals of these long-established melodies.
Susan Ward Emmy Rossum Kim Yoon jin Melania Trump Summer Glau
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