The award-winning vocalist, composer, ethnomusicology researcher, and educator discusses the musical journey that landed her in Cape Verde.

Today, 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 music, 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)

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Dig Deeper

• Visit Kavita Shah at kavitashahmusic.com
• Purchase Cape Verdean Blues on Qobuz or Bandcamp, and listen on your favorite streaming platform
• Follow Kavita Shah on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter (X), and YouTube
• Check out Folkalist Records at folkalistrecords.com
• The Young People’s Chorus of New York City
• A-tisket, a-tasket, a hit song in her basket: Ella’s rise to fame
• A short history of … “Ornithology” (Charlie Parker and Benny Harris, 1946)
• Dizzy Gillespie’s Manteca
• Billie and Ella: The Timeless Two
• What Is Perfect Pitch? | The University of Chicago
• François Moutin & Kavita Shah Duo
• A History Of Cape Verdean People
• Cesária Évora: The Barefoot Diva Who Paved Her Own Path
• Morna: on the trail of traditional music in the Cape Verde islands
• Bau
• History of the Cabo Verde Cavaquinho
• Conheça a Sociedade Cabo-verdiana de Música. - SCM
• Music Talks on Morna and Coladeira - Interview with Morgadinho
• The Afro Blocos of Salvador’s Carnaval
• Ori-Gen
• Ori-Gen Live Stream Rebroadcast | A Concert with Kavita Shah
• Juana Luna - Folkalist Records
• Brené Brown: The power of vulnerability | TED Talk
• Permission to Daydream: A Conversation with Gwen Laster and Kavita Shah

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