The award-winning vocalist, composer, ethnomusicology researcher, and educator discusses the musical journey that landed her in Cape Verde.
------------------
The Spotlight shines On award-winning vocalist, composer, ethnomusicology researcher, and educator Kavita Shah.
Kavita’s work sits at the intersection of modern jazz, new creative music, and world traditions. The impetus for her visit today was her 2023 tribute to African legend Cesária Évora, Cape Verdean Blues (2023). We discuss that music as well as her personal experiences as a lifelong New Yorker of Indian origin, her work as an advocate for gender and racial equity in the arts, and more.
(all musical excerpts heard in the interview are taken from Kavita Shah's album Cape Verdean Blues)
------------------
0:00 - Introduction
2:04 - Discovering jazz at age 10
4:42 - Exploring jazz vocalists and early influences
7:20 - The allure of jazz and classical music
12:12 - Kavita's facility for languages and its relation to music
16:23 - Kavita's initial draw to Cape Verde and Cesária Évora's music
25:36 - Collaborating with Cape Verdean musicians and the album "Cape Verdean Blues"
31:45 - Navigating cross-cultural collaborations and power dynamics
36:45 - Describing the welcoming nature of Cape Verdean culture
39:09 - Kavita's research on Afro-Brazilian music in Brazil
42:21 - Kavita's work with the artist collective Ori-Gen
46:52 - Embracing vulnerability in life and art
51:20 - Closing thoughts
------------------
Visit Kavita Shah at https://www.kavitashahmusic.com
Purchase Cape Verdean Blues on Qobuz → https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/cape-verdean-blues-kavita-shah-bau/az0nwvi1rnena
or Bandcamp → https://kavitashah.bandcamp.com/album/cape-verdean-blues
and listen on your favorite streaming platform → https://songwhip.com/kavitashah/cape-verdean-blues
Follow Kavita Shah on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/cantakavita
Facebook → https://facebook.com/kavitashahmusic
TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@cantakavita
and YouTube → https://youtube.com/kavitashahmusic
Check out Folkalist Records at https://www.folkalistrecords.com
For extensive show notes, links, and podcast information, go to https://www.spotlightonpodcast.com
Spotlight On Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/spotlightonpod
Spotlight On Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/spotlightonpod
Spotlight On LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/spotlight-on
Spotlight On Mastodon → https://social.lol/@spotlightonpod
------------------
• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.
• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter.
#podcast #KavitaShah #CapeVerde #Morna #CapeVerdeanBlues #SpotlightOn #23MediaVentures