True confession/disclosure time-fado music such as delivered here by the honey toned voice of Ana Moura brings me back to my childhood as a Greek American. I grew up listening to exotic music from the land of my forefathers, with singers telling me passionate stories with words I did not understand; the mysteriously toned mandolins and guitars as well as the exciting rhythms told more in sounds than limited words ever could. Images like that are conjured up by Moura on this collection of traditional (and a few modern) tunes that take you on journeys to places, times and situations like only a good book can rival.
Intoxicating rhythms from the strings of Angelo Freire/g, David Piltch/b and Dean Parks/g swirl around along with the percussion of Jay Bellerose, Patrick Warren and Pedro Soares’ viola, while Moura entices you with her voice on “Amor Afoito” and “Desfado.” You don’t have to know what she’s saying, you can FEEL it as she sings around bouyant, bouncy and festive strums and sensuous string picking. Fiery passion of love and love lost is palpable on “A Minha Estrela” and “Como Nunca Mais,” taking you to warm Mediterranean summer nights. Saxist Tim Ries adds extra atmosphere on “ Havemos De Acordar,” while a bit of modern Americana takes away the mystery on “Thank You” and Joni Mitchell’s “A Case Of You.” Herbie Hancock brings some keyboard electronic musings and atmosphere to Moura’s own “Dream of Fire” making you hope the next album stays with one form and genre or the other. A wonderful journey for the most part to the romantic Iberian peninsula.
Universal Music