23 year old Mayra Andrade has made some strange moves. She was born in Cuba, but she grew up in Cape Verde, which is an archipelago colonized by Portugal in the 15th Century off the western coast of Africa (this is a geography lesson). After moving around Africa and Europe she finds herself living and recording in Paris, France. Her music is a beautiful mixture of influences from Brazillian Sambas and jazz to French chanson (is there any other kind?!). She somehow keeps it mixed up while making the sound traditional and often times upbeat. The sunny vocals in Cape Verdean Creole are well introduced with heavy poetic substance in the lyrics.

Navega ("upon the waves") was debuted in 2006 when Mayra was 22! It is hard to tell that she's a newcomer. I was really thrown off when I found out this was her debut. We are definitely anticipating a sophomore out hopefully sometime in 2008. You can dance to her music or be listening on a train as a soundtrack to beautiful scenary. None of these songs are worth skipping over. Get the album here. Stream Navega here. Live videos here. Songs below!

Tunuca
Poc li denté é tcheu
Nha Nobréza

Labels: african, bossa, jazz, samba