Difficult choice for music fans here next week

For most of her life, her soulful voice and charisma were a hidden jewel on Cape Verde, an island nation off the west coast of Africa. When Cesaria Evora finally left the former Portuguese colony, went to Paris and was discovered, she was already 47.

That was in 1988, when she recorded her first album, "La Diva aux Pieds Nus," featuring her island's morna style, which draws on African, Portuguese and Brazilian influences. The album became a big hit among the Cape Verdean community and she began performing in front of small crowds at the New Morning club in Paris. Her big break came when she performed at a French music festival, the Festival d'Angouleme, and the press took notice. Le Monde wrote, "Cesaria sings the morna with a kind of rascal devotion. ...She belongs to the aristocracy of bar singers."

Evora's 1992 album, "Miss Perfumado," was a hit in France. Her rich voice connected the fado of Portugal to the choro of Brazil. It poignantly conveyed her harsh life and painful past on Cape Verde.

The singer's best known album is "Cesaria" (1995), which was nominated for a Grammy Award. Shortly afterwards, she performed at one of New York's hottest clubs, the Bottom Line, in front of such celebrities as Madonna, David Byrne and Sting. Her recent albums include "Cafe Atlantico" (1999) and "Cesaria Evora Anthology" (2002).

Evora will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Sejong University's Daeyang Hall. For tickets, call 1588-7890, check out www.ticketlink.co.kr or contact Rainbow Pulse Entertainment at (02) 2166-2700.

Wynton Marsalis is one of the most respected jazz trumpeters in the United States.

He's also a distinguished classical performer and composer, and a dedicated teacher of jazz at New York's Lincoln Center. He has won critical acclaim particularly for "In Gabriel's Garden," featuring baroque music for the trumpet and orchestra.

Marsalis' wide range is showcased in his recent release, "Classic Wynton", a collection of works ranging from baroque to modern.

The New Orleans-born trumpeter has performed more than 120 concerts annually for nearly two decades.

Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Seoul Arts Center. For tickets, call (02) 580-1300 or 02-780-6400.

by Inēs Cho