The perfect introduction to one of the world's oldest styles of urban song, a beautiful selection of joyful, sorrowful and heartfelt songs, accompanied by the unique sound of the Portuguese guitar. Featuring the most famous Fado singers of today, including Mariza, Ana Moura and Carminho.

Fado was born in the bustling side-streets and alleys of old Lisbon in the early nineteenth century, and today the tradition is very much alive and kicking in the city. In steamy bars, where the music is always on offer and the drama is frequently high-pitched, strong-voiced singers and skilled guitarists tell their tales of woe and longing. Enjoy a handpicked selection of some of the finest Fado musicians, both old and new, on this engaging Rough Guide.

Bonus CD: Cristina Branco – 'Murmurios' Cristina Branco is one of the younger generation of fadistas who have reinvigorated the tradition in recent years. This bonus disc was her second album and is now widely respected as a jewel in the fado repertoire. This album won Branco a prestigious French award, the Choc de L'Année du Monde de la Musique, in 1999. The album title translates as 'whispers', and Branco's voice is sensitively soft and shadowy in tone throughout.