Album: Cesaria Evore, Nha Sentimento (Lusafrica/Harmonia Mundi)

The boss-eyed "barefootdiva" had a stroke on tourlast year: this determinedlyupbeat collection of"coladera" dances isdesigned to assure us thatshe's still going strong.She's supported on sometracks by Egyptian strings,on others by percussionistTey Santos and pianistNando Andrade. There areechoes of Cuba, and of thegreat Oum Kalsoum; thewhole thing is beautifullysmooth, and shot throughwith the sweetest regret,but one longs for her tosettle back into the CapeVerdean "morna" songswith which she first blewus away.