Fados Singer

Went to a concert by Mariza...fados singer...last Saturday nignt. She moved effortlessly around the stage...a slender dark
gowned diva...singing from a place deep in her being...with utter command of her flexible voice. Sometimes there were long
pauses in a song...from which her voice would emerge singing powerfully...or return...wispily...then soon swell to her full
power...which was something to experience. Her main three musicians were excellent...and sometimes augmented by violin...
viola...cello...and drums. I particularly liked the sound from what I took to be...a traditional Portuguese instrument...which from the front...looks like a lute. I think it is that instrument...with the human voice...that is at the core of fados. Above all...
there were powerful emotions expressed by the singer...a lot of the time to do with "sodade'..which I would interpret as
being..."longing beyond nostalgia"...delivered with discipline...power...and excellence...that never lapsed into the saccharine
or pathetic. But such is the nature of fados...sung by the great fados singers...like Mariza...connecting deeply...even with
those who are open but do not speak the language of the singer...and are reminded of the common ground shared by...
us "born to dance then die" human beings............................Quester.