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Album Description
Angelique Kidjo is one of the most electrifying artists in the Pop world. With effortless cross-pollination of the West African traditions of her childhood in Benin with elements of American R&B, funk and jazz, as well as influences from Europe and Latin America, no artist makes music for the world quite like Angelique Kidjo. She spices her funky, vocal-driven dance music with rhythmic and percussive details of her homeland. The distinctly African drumbeats on most of her albums, as well as the richness of her voice and the rhythm of her native language, Fon, have given Kidjo a boost in her rise to the stat
Album Description
Angelique Kidjo is one of the most electrifying artists in the Pop world. With effortless cross-pollination of the West African traditions of her childhood in Benin with elements of American R&B, funk and jazz, as well as influences from Europe and Latin America, no artist makes music for the world quite like Angelique Kidjo. She spices her funky, vocal-driven dance music with rhythmic and percussive details of her homeland. The distinctly African drumbeats on most of her albums, as well as the richness of her voice and the rhythm of her native language, Fon, have given Kidjo a boost in her rise to the status of international musical sensation.
The Benin-born, Paris-based singer Angélique Kidjo has become the most popular African female artist on the world-music scene. This compilation contains 18 tracks from her five CDs released between 1990 and 1998. An electrifying performer fluent in French, English-jazz vocalese, and her country's traditional zilin vocal techniques, Kidjo often sings in her native Fon/Yoruba language. Along with her husband, bassist/producer Jean Hebral, Kidjo conjures up a zesty mix of funk, Latin, jazz, gospel, Caribbean zouk, Congolese rumba, and Afropop grooves. Kidjo covers a lot of ground--from Afro-pulsed renditions of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" to her indigenous take on George Gershwin's "Summertime." The rising hip-hop/gospel diva Kelly Price lends her sanctified sound to "Open Your Eyes," and Carlos Santana's bluesy guitar lines illuminate "Naima." The Tanzanian chant "Malaika" is dedicated to Kidjo's idol, Miriam Makeba, while "Senie," a spare track with background vocals and drums, is a shout out to the great Togolese singer Bella Bellow. Of course, this collection also contains Kidjo's most popular dance hits, including the infectious "Batonga," "Agolo," and the classic "Aye." This fabulous package shows why Kidjo is the belle of the world-music ball, with a host of fans from Cassandra Wilson to Branford Marsalis. --Eugene Holley Jr.
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Manufacturer: Wrasse
Release date: 15 May 2001
Number of discs: 1
EAN: 5060001270326
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