In the late ’80s Cesaria Evora single-handedly carried the musical riches of Cape Verde onto the international music scene. For generations, the creole culture (a mix of African, Portuguese, and Brazilian) on this small cluster of islands off of Africa’s western coast birthed a number of distinctive musical forms, but for generations the music was available only to locals and the infrequent tourist.

Evora specializes in the morna, a Cape Verdean form drawing on the island’s many musical cultures: Portuguese fado, Brazilian modinha, Argentinean tango, and Angolan lament. The melancholy palette of the morna finds its perfect expressive vehicle in Evora’s voice, a beautiful instrument tempered by a life tinged by its share of sadness. Evora’s success opened the world’s ears to the music pouring forth from Cape Verde.

Described as a vanguard of Cape Verdean music, Tcheka transposes traditional percussive beats onto his guitar and reworks the rhythms of batuku into his original compositions. The successful debut of his CD Nu Monda was critically acclaimed and it led Tcheka to win the Radio France International Music of the World Awards on November 11, 2005 in Dakar, Senegal for Artist of the Year, making him the first Cape Verdean musician to achieve this honor. In addition, Tcheka was presented in October of this year as a featured artist at the World Music Expo (WOMEX) in Seville, Spain. Tcheka who has been described as a “pop-griot” continues to evolve his sound, transposing his roots and culture into music for all.

SFJAZZ is the leading non-profit jazz organization on the West Coast and the 6th largest performing arts organization in the Bay Area. Dedicated to encouraging the growth of jazz and jazz audiences in San Francisco and beyond, SFJAZZ presents a wealth of year-round programs, including the internationally acclaimed San Francisco Jazz Festival, the SFJAZZ Spring Season under the artistic direction of renowned saxophonist Joshua Redman, as well as numerous community outreach and education programs.

Founded in 1983 under the name of Jazz in the City, the organization adopted its new identity as SFJAZZ in late 1999, in recognition of its expansion from seasonal music presenter to year-round arts institution.

All SFJAZZ programs reflect a spirit of artistic exploration, embracing the full breadth of jazz and its related musics; emphasize thematic programming, with tributes to jazz masters and celebrations of particular musical instruments, trends or styles; and strive to instill enthusiasm for jazz among wider audiences.