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Angelique Kidjo
Ebony, June, 2007 by Lynn Norment
On her new recording, Djin Djin (Razor & Tie). Angelique Kidjo wins new fans with a sizzling set that pulls together music and artists of different genres and ethnicities. Alicia Keys' vocals and Branford Marsalis' horn are right at home on the title song, which refers to the bell that greets the beginning of each day in Africa.
With Joss Stone. Kidjo infuses a sense of urgency to the Rolling Stones' "Shelter," and Peter Gabriel helps her celebrate the joy of birth on "Salala." Ziggy Marley adds his reggae magic to "Sedjedo." and Carlos Santana and his guitar set the tone for an emphatic cover of Sade's "Pearls." Many of the selections nave a social activist theme, and Kidjo even expresses anger on "Senamou," which speaks to the wealthy who are "enslaved by love of money." While some of the vocals are delivered in English, others are presented in her native Benin language, as well as the languages of Nigena and Togo. Throughout the set, Kidjo, with her distinctive earthy vocals and rhythms (often infused with African beats), is the star talent.
COPYRIGHT 2007 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning
