Rough Guide to Fado
The Portuguese folk music form fado has gained international recognition in recent years thanks to the stellar work of young ladies Cristina Branco, Mariza, Misia and the late Amalia Rodrigues, grand dame of fadistas. This 19-track collection of previously released material goes well beyond showcasing modern fado divas---also included here are a healthy helping of the often overlooked male singers and famous older tracks by artists who may not still be with us, such as Fernando Mauricio, Maria Teresa de Noronha and Herminia Silva. The album features a nicely varied line-up----only Antonio Chainho gets two songs, and that's because his feature different singers. Promising newcomers come in the form of Ana Moura and Joana Amendoeira. Some things old, some things new, all of it borrowed and all of it blue, theRough Guide to Fadowill go a long way towards expanding the fado universe for neophytes, and it's a fine reminder that the passion of this relatively well-defined style is not one dimensional. –-Tad Hendrickson