THIS veteran singer from the Atlantic island of Cape Verde specialises in what are known as "mornas", slow, soulful shuffles with a bluesy feel and mournful lyrics about regret, heartbreak and oppression.

This is more fun than it may sound. These are beautiful songs, pure and enthralling. Evora begins and ends with mornas, starting with the lovely Isolada, apparently an old island song, and ending with the title track, a multinational affair, featuring musicians from Cuba, Madagascar and Brazil, plus her own stage band.

In between these enchanting bookends, there are many delights, including the more up-tempo Velocidade. The instrumentation throughout is pure and uncluttered, mixing guitar, mandolin, piano, saxophone, violin and clarinet. Cesaria Evora has been singing for a long time, starting in her teens but breaking off to raise a family.

She was discovered again when in her forties. Now well into her sixties, she blossoms still. A true treat.

Updated: 08:34 Thursday, February 26, 2004