A rich West African ambience will set the scene tonight as Lura, the Cape Verde-based singer, performs at Flamingo Cantina in a rare US appearance. Born in 1975, the year of Cape Verde's independence from the militant European colonial rule that stifled public musical expression, Lura's distinctive pop stylings unify the West African influences of the percussive funana beat and the sexual-charged energies of batuque. The origins of her musical career can be linked......