Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel includes: Ejigayehu "Gigi" Shibabaw (vocals); Nicky Skopelitis | | (6- & 12 string guitars); Bill Laswell (guitar, synthesizer, bass); David Gilmore, Zakki Jewad (guitar); Henry Threadgill (flute, alto saxophone); | | Tony Cedras (accordion); Pharoah Sanders (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, bells); Wayne Shorter (soprano saxophone); Graham Haynes (cornet, flugel horn); Mark Taylor (French horn); Art Baron (trombone); Herbie Hancock (electric piano, Clavinet, synthesizer); Dereje Mekonnen (electric piano, | | organ, synthesizer); Amina Claudine Myers (electric piano, organ); Abegasu Shiota (electric piano, synthesizer); Karsh Kale (synthesizer, drums, tabla); | | Thomas Gobena (bass); Hamid Drake (drums, congas, tabla, daff); Imani Uzuri | | (background vocals). | | Recorded at Orange Music Sound, West Orange, New Jersey and Garage Sale Studios, Los Angeles, California. | | Personnel: Nicky Skopelitis (guitar, 12-string guitar); Bill Laswell (guitar, synthesizer); David Gilmore (guitar); Henry Threadgill (flute, alto saxophone); Tony Cedras (accordion); Pharoah Sanders (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, bells); Wayne Shorter (soprano saxophone); Graham Haynes (cornet, flugelhorn); Mark Taylor (French horn); Art Baron (trombone); Herbie Hancock (electric piano, Clavinet, synthesizer); Amina Claudine Myers (electric piano, organ); Karsh Kale (synthesizer, drums, tabla); Hamid Drake (drums, congas, tabla); Abdou M'Boup (congas, talking drum, djembe, percussion); Aiyb Dieng (congas, percussion); Imani Uzuri (background vocals). | | Recording information: Garage Sale Studio, Los Angeles, CA; Orange Music Sound Studio, West Orange, NJ. | | Photographer: Jean Baptiste Mondino. | | Unknown Contributor Roles: Bill Murphy ; Hamid Drake. | | Arranger: Bill Laswell. | | There are essentially two schools of thought when it comes to world music: the purists who believe that ancient musical traditions must remain undiluted to survive, and the fusionists who believe that it is the ability of artists to adapt their cultural traditions to modern tastes that will allow them to survive. Though often blasted by traditionalists for his trademark world music collusions, bassist/producer Bill Laswell has done a remarkable job of straddling the lines dividing these two camps, working with world music favorites like the Master Musicians of Jajouka, Simon Shaheen, and Foday Muso Suso to concoct heady stylistic brews that update their respective traditions for 21st century audiences. Laswell's latest discovery is 27-year-old Ejigayehu "Gigi" Shibabaw, a stunning Ethiopian singer whose self-titled debut establishes her as one of Africa's most accomplished young artists. Her mellifluous vocals are backed by an impressive multicultural lineup that includes Laswell on bass; guitarist Nicky Skopelitis; saxophonists Wayne Shorter, Pharoah Sanders, and Henry Threadgill; and percussionists Aiyb Dieng and Karsh Kale. But the emphasis here is on Gigi's voice, which moves from soaring melodic passages to a breathy falsetto over songs that combine her native traditions with elements of funk, dub, soul, and West African and Indian sounds. From the exuberant buoyancy of "Gud Fella" to the syncopated urgency of "Aynama" to the beautifully soulful balladry of "Adwa," this is the rare debut that sounds like a fully formed artist, ready and eager for her time in the international music spotlight. ~ Bret Love |
Producer: Bill Laswell |
Engineer: Khaliq Glover; Robert Musso |
Musical Guests | | Wayne Shorter | | Herbie Hancock | | Bill Laswell | | Henry Threadgill | | Amina Claudine Myers | | Pharoah Sanders |
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