Thanks, Vera

I like music. I like all kinds of music. I like all kinds of music from all kinds of places. In fact, I am listening to a Portuguese group, Madredeus, at this very moment.

The group, which takes its name from the Madre de Deus station on the Lisbon tram line, has been recording since the mid-1980s. They came to prominence in 1994, when Wim Wenders had them perform in his movie Lisbon Story. Unfortunately, I did not see that movie and I only discovered them this past year when Vera, one of the people I worked with, loaned me the O Espírito da Paz CD.

I fell in love with the group and have since bought O Paraíso and Um Amor Infinito. If I had to choose a favourite album I would pick O Paraíso, but the other two albums are great too. I can, however, say I have a favourite song -- A Andorinha da Primavera off of O Paraíso. There is something magical about the combination of guitars, synthesizers, and Teresa Salgueiro's voice.

In case you are wondering, I don't speak Portuguese. (Nor do I speak French, Spanish, Latin, Russian, Gaelic, Zulu, or the various African languages on the tracks of my CD collection.) Luckily, you don't have to speak Portuguese to connect with the beauty of the music, you just have to listen.

Thanks, Vera, for turning me onto Madredeus.