Recados de Fora

Angolan singer Bonga made his first album in 1972. Now, at the age of 74, his 30th album is yet another in a long series of classy and thoroughly likeable recordings. His music is timeless. Being from a former Portuguese colony there are influences in his music from Brazil, Cape Verde, neighbouring Congo, and inevitably European musical styles such as fado. At the heart of Bonga's music is Angola's semba dance rhythm, and its modern variation kizomba. It's musically seductive, passionate and easy on the hips. He performs with an ease that is gentle and enticing: there's accordion, flute, acoustic guitars, percussion, and a small horn section supporting his voice, which oozes experience and charisma.

Bonga is like a male equivalent of his close friend Cesaria Evora. Like Cesaria his singing is steeped in deep nostalgia and profound melancholy, themes popular in Cape Verdean and Brazilian music. The compositions on here are Bonga's own, plus a Zé do Norte song ‘Sodade, Meu Bem, Sodade’ and also the B Leza song ‘Odji Maguado’. Like the latter years of the late Leonard Cohen, Bonga has proven that age can bring grace, dignity and consummate professionalism to your art.