CESARIA EVORA
Cape Verde's greatest music export is Cesaria Evora, the queen of morna--barroom blues that speak of losing a beloved or longing for island life. Evora started singing in her teens, but didn't receive global recognition until her fifties. Today she tours eight months out of a year and still performs in her bare feet. Recommended album: The Very Best of Cesaria Evora (Bluebird/BMG)
ANOUSHKA SHANKAR
Indian musician Anoushka Shankar, the half sister of Norah Jones, learned classical sitar and raga from her legendary father, Ravi. Recommended album: Live at Carnegie Hall (Angel/EMI)
YUSA
This singer--songwriter was classically trained in piano, bass and tres guitar--a wide-bodied acoustic guitar. Yusa works a jazz-infused Cuban folk-pop sound that owes more to Peter Gabriel and Joni Mitchell than her island's famed Buena Vista Social Club. Recommended album: Yusa (Tumi Music)
JOY DENALANE
Born to a South African father and a German mother, Joy Denalane calls her mad-fresh sound Afropean-American soul. Imagine the Afro-French sister duo Les Nubians singing German and English lyrics with South African melodies, R&B grooves and hip-hop beats. Recommended album: Mamani (Four Music)
SUSANA BACA
A revered historian and singer of Afro-Peruvian music, Susana Baca is at the forefront of preserving her culture's Spanish, West African and Andean roots. Through her foundation, Institute Negrocontinuo, she keeps these musical traditions alive. Recommended album: Espiritu Vivo (Luaka Bop)
FERNANDA PORTO
Fernanda Porto sings, composes and plays several instruments. Her trademark fusion of bossa nova, samba and drum-'n-bass jams are helping reinvent Brazil's other home sound--MPB (musica popular brasileira). Recommended album: Fernanda Porto (Trama)
MARCIA GRIFFITHS
Marcia Griffiths was a member of Bob Marley's backup trio, the I-Three, for eight years. As a solo artist, she's best known for "Electric Boogie," which spawned the immortal Electric Slide line dance. Recommended album: Naturally (Shanachie)
SKWATTA KAMP
Skwatta Kamp won the Best Rap Album award at the South African Music Awards last April. Their sound, which they dubbed Mkhukhu funk, is their own take on hip-hop. Recommended album: Khut En Joyn (Buttabing Records)
Great Global Discs Four world-music albums we love
Global Soul (Putumayo): African American influenced R & B from France to South Korea.
* Monsoon Wedding (Milan): A Bollywood sound track of Punjabi rhythms and Hindi beats. * As Far As (Six Degrees): Middle Eastern traditional music meets electronica. * Congo to Cuba (Putumayo): Cuban son and West African translations of salsa.--JENELLE MAHONE-SY
Beats, Roots and Soul Great venues to hear global music or dance in your city
Atlanta--Rialto Center for the Performing Arts ([404] 651-4727 or rialtocenter.org) is a concert house without one bad seat. Chicago--HotHouse ([312] 362-9707 or hothouse.net) has jazz-club cool that meats art gallery chic. Washington, D.C.--Bukom Cafe ([202] 265-4600 or bukom.com) serves West African fare and music way past midnight. Los Angeles--Temple Bar ([310] 393-6611 or templebarlive.com) features sets from Afro-Latin singers and global-fusion DJs. San Francisco--Ashkenaz ([510] 525-5054 or ashkenaz.com) has a laid-back Bay Area vibe and large dance floor for a kick-off-your-shoes good time.--PENNY WRENN
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