Customer Reviews

Gigi

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Here's a one-of-a-kind album--an Ethiopian woman singer backed by incredible musicians from around the world. Singing in her native Amharic language, Gigi varies her songs, mixing jazz, folk, and electronica in equal measures to create a truly memorable music experience.

In addition to the great jazz names of Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Pharoah Sanders, also on hand are Henry Threadgill (sadly underestimated American jazz performer and composer) on alto sax, the always interesting Graham Haynes on cornet, Nicky Skopelitis on guitar, Bill Laswell on bass (who also produced and arranged the album), Indian Karsh Kale on drums and tabla, and Senegalese Aiyb Dieng on African percussion, as well as many of Gigi's fellow Ethiopians on backing vocals, percussion, and Ethiopian instruments masinko and kerare.

With Laswell's innovative production and Threadgill's creative horn arrangements, this is one worldbeat album that can be listened to repeatedly. Gigi's voice is clear, lyrical and emotional; she can belt, reach for high notes, plead, or sing softly, and all of these are captivating.

This is a unique album, definitely a huge plus in your worldbeat library.

First impressions: It's a very layered album with lots of echo and overlapping vocals. The lyrics are soothingly melodic and the back ground vocals are just as nice. The arranger, Henry Threadgill, who did the horns, should get a Grammy or something for tying everything together so wonderfully. It has an African vibe of course but the music behind it has a western influence.

The liner notes have the lyrics in both English and Ethiopian which I appreciated a lot. Also, pictures of GIGI inside and some African artwork and lettering are featured within the liner notes.

You have Herbie Hancock on piano/syntheizer, Wayne shorter on the soprano sax, and many other famous jazz professionals/icons contributing here. Seriously, how can you go wrong when you have Grammy award winning profesionals providing the music?

For the "world beat" purist, this album may be a little over the top since the talents of many accomplished musicians from several different discliplines contributed here. Note, synthesizers and an electric piano were used on this CD with plenty of echo and fades. In other words, it could be a little too electronic for those that prefer a minimalist or more "earthy" approach. The purist may even consider this CD moving a bit towards "New Age".

Conclusion: It's a very, very good album but I feel that it does not truly fit into the "world beat" classification.

Bye.

This CD is exciting and uplifting. Gigi - a young Ethiopian singer - composed the Ethiopian melodies and Amharic lyrics, and the all-star team of Herbie Hancock, Waine Shorter, Pharoah Sanders, producer Bill Laswell and other top musicians transformed them into a captivating blend of musical styles - Ethiopian (Bale Washinto), Indian (Guramyle), African and Jazz fusion. Despite the mixing of influences, the result is cohesive and attractive.
The CD quickly became popular among Ethiopian youth worldwide who were looking for a breakthrough from traditional Ethiopian pop to a more contemporary sound.
Gigi's personality is positive and charismatic as can clearly be heard on every track of this CD. Her voice is very Ethiopian and at the same time very universal, and her optimism shines through. She is proud of her Ethiopian origins near the Blue Nile falls, and confident in her ability to create substantial music.
I recommend the CD to ALL human beings.

I was first introduced to Gigi's music when my mother sang background vocals for her in a New York concert not terribly long ago (my mother is a professional singer), and subsequently with the receipt of this CD, which was given to me as a gift and is quickly becoming a favorite. Gigi has a fantastic voice, technically superb and able to perfectly sing and maintain flurrets of melody and unpredictable rhythm that would challenge even the most experienced singers. The music is "exotic" but also, somehow, familiar -- it is different enough to be wholly interesting and yet near enough to be complete accessible and enjoyable to the common ear. Underneath the very Ethiopian flavor is a jazzy mood that will resonate with all jazz-lovers. Instrumentation is great, and many pieces feature soul-stirring, body-swaying percussion and lively, but unobtrusive, bursts of brass. The last song on the recording is a haunting, exquisitely sung "ballad," for lack of a better word, that perfectly showcases Gigi's unique and gorgeous voice. This is a wonderful recording of truly interesting and enjoyable music and superb singing. Very highly recommended to one and all!

Outstanding music from Africa. Superb vocal and musical arrangement. The music exudes rhythm and feel, and the vocal delivery is passionate as well as original. Elements of the elements that make up the best in jazz variety, all the while the backbone being African rhythm. A nice selection of assorted instruments to accompany the changing moods within this collection of great music.

I recommend this CD to anyone who loves African music. I also recommend this to anyone who is interested in expanding their world music collection. Time is well spent here as this artist and her music make their mark on your music scene. I love the music on this album because it is raw yet the recording is excellent. I find this recording does something to me, perhaps it is her voice, or perhaps it is in the music itself, I cannot say which. All I can say is that the music produces a feeling, even though I cannot understand the language, I can relate completely.

Phew! Why do I always review stuff so long after it's released? I dunno, since in this case, I saw a review just when it came out, but bought it barely a week ago. It's never too late, though. The music on this album is the marriage of the ancient Ethiopian music, expressed in the magnificent voice of Gigi Shibabaw, and the vocal melodies she passionately puts forth in her native Amhari language, and modern instrumentation and harmonic sophistication typical of New York!! Who would think up such a thing? Well, bassist and musical madman Bill Laswell is to blame, er, credit for this amazing project. The first song is just a blossoming flower turned into music. The groove is upbeat and bouncy, but when you get to the break where it's just Gigi's voice and delicate percussion, it's pure bliss! The "poppier" song here is "Guramayle" but I mean in terms of Afro-pop, music much deeper, and with much more guts and feeling than anything that is called pop in the US. There are some simple, yet perfect horn arrangements by (unfortunately not too known) saxophonist Henry Threadgill. You know what I wish they had done? I wish they'd have printed the lyrics in Amhari, and also in English, but they only printed the English translation. Oh well, that's nothing. The music itself is flawless. If you like Afro-pop/World music, give Gigi a spin, you will not be dissappointed.

While in Ethiopia, I fell in love with Ethiopian music. Ethiopian music has many different genres and styles reflecting the myriad of cultures and languages present in the country. Gigi's vocal style and music provides an excellent introduction to Ethiopian popular music. Most importantly, the addition of non-Ethiopian artists is successful and does not create the insipid music heard in some African/non-African collaborative efforts. Gigi has a hauntingly beautiful voice that is a refreshing change from the overwrought voices on commercial radio today. The rhythms and sensibilities retain their Ethiopian flavor and are interwoven seamlessly with the non-Ethiopian elements. English translations of the Amharic lyrics are provided along with commentary on some of the less easily translated expressions. This is one of the few cds where I can say I like every track. Buy one for yourself and one for a friend.

I've owned this album since it first came out. The more I listen to this album the more I find in it. These melodies are infectious. Gigi's remarkable, glorious voice is both clear and bright, as well as deep and sensual. This album is a standout among many great albums from Africa in my collection. Sometimes I wish I knew how to speak Ethiopian because I could understand the music better-- but it really doesn't matter. There's a kind of expression in this that's universal. You know what the songs mean, even if you can't pronounce the lyrics. I wish I could give you a sense of her voice, the closest comparison I can give is that she's got that thing that was in Ella Fitzgerald's voice too-- its a kind of purity of joy. Delightful!

Reading the liner notes to GIGI ("world fusion of jazz, funk, dub, African and Afro-Asian styles") and gazing at the somber dark cover, we were prepared to dislike this recording; but while listening to GIGI something happened: it got inside our heads, reached for our souls, and amazed us.
 "Wow, this is a real keeper" was the general response.
 If you liked the cd anthology WASSALOU SOUND or perhaps the haunting voice of Cecile Kerabywa, you should love GIGI: not so much for dancing or sing-alongs, but for mesmerizing, laid-back listening.
 GIGI provides an astonishingly beautiful voice captured just right: everything neatly in balance. Highly recommended indeed.

I chanced to hear one of Gigi's songs on the radio, and was struck by how beautiful, melodic, and haunting her voice was. This CD is definitely outside the realm of my usual musical tastes (rock, techno), but I knew I had to buy it, and am glad I did. Every track is wonderful -- you can put it on in the background and all the songs sort of melt together into one uplifting whole. The contributions from the other musicians involved fit in nicely, adding style and richness. This isn't formulaic, self-conscious "world music" -- it's simply a fresh, gorgeous sonic tapestry created by a very talented singer.

The CD does come with English translations of the lyrics, but I enjoy them more not knowing what they mean!