Known primarily as the area where hurricanes are formed, the 10 islands and eight islets that make up Cape Verde (Cap Vert) are rich in culture and music culled from their Portuguese and African ancestry. Di Korpu ku Alma by Lura is a perfect example of this musical culture.

Born in Lisbon, Lura could easily speak Portuguese, the official language of her island home, but she also wanted to learn the dialect spoken in the area of her Cap Vert home as well. With the help of friends, family and schoolmates, she did. It is that language that is heard on Di Korpu ku Alma. This is Lura's third album.

Lura did not begin singing until she was 17 years old, but to hear her contralto voice on the album you would think that she had been singing all of her life.

Di Korpu ku Alma is a two-disc set. The CD contains 14 songs that mix the beats and percussion sounds from Africa with the flamenco guitar of the Latin countries and the contemporary music of Europe to form a sound that takes you to the islands.

The second disc is a DVD with an eight-song concert filmed in France, a photo gallery, two videos and a short profile on Lura spoken by Lura herself in her island tongue. English and French subtitles are provided.

All in all, and despite the language barrier, Di Korpu ku Alma is a good album and a pleasant distraction.

by Sherrill Fulghum
Rambles.NET
9 December 2006

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