Kidjo drives her music with the drum-based grooves of her native West Africa to create a potent Afro-funk fusion. Her albums regularly top Billboard’s World Music charts and have garnered four Grammy nominations. Angelique Kidjo’s music carries a synthesis of her native makossa and zouk with soul, reggae and jazz, all propelled in her live shows by swirling colors and exotic dancing.
Angelique Kidjo won the Best Contemporary World Music Album Grammy Award last week for her album Djin Djin (Razor & Tie Direct/Starbucks Entertainment). The much-celebrated singer, composer, and performer began in the West African Beninese port village of Cotonou, where she launched her career at the age of six. The political turmoil in her country led her to relocate to Paris, and then ultimately to New York City, where she now resides.
Her striking voice, stage presence and fluency in multiple cultures and languages won respect from her peers and expanded her following across national borders.
As a child, Angelique Kidjo was mesmerized by an iconic album cover of Jimi Hendrix, which led her to follow the African roots of music from the United States to Brazil and the Caribbean. The results were a Grammy-nominated trilogy of albums, Oremi, Black Ivory Soul and Oyaya!, which traced the black diaspora.
With her new release, Djin Djin (pronounced “gin gin”), Angelique Kidjo returns to the soul of Benin and creates an album truly global in scope. The all-star guests include Josh Groban, Alicia Keys, Peter Gabriel, Carlos Santana, Joss Stone, Ziggy Marley and Branford Marsalis. Artists such as Peter Gabriel and Alicia Keys have been tireless in their charitable work for African causes. Carlos Santana told Kidjo that his music has always been inspired by the music of Africa. They were no doubt drawn to record with Kidjo, who in 2002 was named a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.
“Music brings us together, but after the music is over, you go back to your home, to your neighborhood, knowing that you can make a difference. You have to be proud of who you are. Whether you were born in America or Africa, you can celebrate life,” Kidjo said.
Angelique Kidjo
Saturday, March 8, 2008 @ 8 pm
Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd on the campus of the UA
Full price: $38, $25, $15 with Student, Senior, Group and Military discounts
Tickets by phone: (520) 621-3341; TTY: (520) 626-3980
UApresents Box Office Locations:
- Centennial Hall, M-F, 10am to 6pm, Saturday, 12pm to 5pm and Sunday 12pm-4pm
- UA Student Union BookStore, M-F, 10am-5:30pm and Saturday, 12pm-4:30pm
- UA Visitor’s Center, M-F, 10am-5pm
- The “A” Store at Tucson Mall, Monday-Saturday, 10am-9pm and Sunday, 11am-6pm
- On the Web: www.uapresents.org
Buy Djin Djin.
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central
