Gente

Born in Bissau and raised in Cape Verde, Nancy Vieira, now based in Lisbon, is a leading exponent of Cape Verdean song and her new album, Gente, is a shining example of the blending of traditional morna with fado, samba and other styles from across the lusophone world. Exploring this linguistic link, Vieira is joined by Remna Schwarz, who has Cape Verdean heritage but has lived all over West Africa and beyond, on ‘Singa’. The pair’s two different versions of Portuguese-Creole come together for a sweet lament arranged by Peruvian musician Jorge Cervantes who also plays bass on much of the album. Brazil, the Basque Country and Ukraine are also represented here, making for a truly international album. With 14 tracks Gente provides an extensive tour of styles and themes that interest Vieira, as well as showcasing the myriad influences upon Cape Verdean sound. The opening ‘Sol Di Nha Vida’ combines the local funaná style with samba in what, we are told, Kaka Barbosa called ‘funamba’, while we hear the inflections of West African pop music on songs such as ‘Ta Cundum Cundum’. My personal favourite track of Vieira’s Gente is the achingly beautiful ‘Princesa’.