Cesaria Evora

This legendary world music diva no longer treads the Earth in her trademark bare feet, having passed away in late 2011. Posthumous releases are always a cause for trepidation, but thankfully the legacy of Evora is enhanced, not diminished, by this topnotch addition to her catalogue. The album is comprised of tracks that never quite fit on her earlier releases, but her vocal performances and the production work of long-time collaborator Jose da Silva remain of a very high quality. The title song has a lovely, warm vibe and touching lyrics (it translates as "Mother Tenderness"), while "Dor Di Sodade" is a fine example of the melancholy Morna style (a close cousin to fado). There's a Latin vibe to "Dos Palavras," recorded in Colombia, while "Cme Catchorr" ("Eating Dog") is the jaunty tale of a culinary disaster. Evora also pays eloquent tribute to her homeland in "Caboverdeanos D'Angola" and "Nos Cabo Verde." The album may not quite match the excellence of her '90s triumphs, Miss Perfumado and Cesaria, but it comes close.