Keep on Moving: The Best of Angelique Kidjo

Angelique Kidjo | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Wrasse Records
• ASIN: B00197U0EO
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,975 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #1 in Music > World Music > Africa > Benin
  • #26 in Music > World Music > Africa > General AAS
  • #26 in Music > World Music > Africa > General

Track Listings

1. Summertime

2. Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

3. Agolo

4. Fifa

5. Batonga

6. Wombo Lombo

7. Malaika

8. Open Your Eyes

9. The Sound of the Drums

10. Adouma

11. Naïma

12. Tourner la Page

13. Babalao

14. Agossi

15. Idjé-Idjé

16. Tombo

17. Wé Wé

18. Sénié

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

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.

Product 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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the best, August 14, 2005

By 

Isabelle Herbert "Essex Girl" (Aptos, CA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Keep on Moving-Best of Angelique Kidjo (Audio CD)

If you are new to Angelique Kidjo then this is the best introduction to her range and power, spanning the wide spectrum of her styles from her African roots to more European/American influences. If you are new to African music, this is an easy introduction, and if you have other of her albums you'll want to add this.

My only complaint - it was released before Black Ivory Soul, so doesn't include her more Brazilian music, which I love. Her voice is astonishing, her talent unique. I was lucky enough to see her live in Santa Cruz California a couple of years back and she could have filled the auditorium with her voice alone, without the aid of a microphone. She is one of those rare people who truly can sing astonishingly well. She blew me away.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding overview of Angelique Kidjo's recordings!, May 16, 2001

By 

J. Lund "jazzbrat" (SoCal, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Keep on Moving-Best of Angelique Kidjo (Audio CD)

If you haven't had the pleasure of hearing this renowned world beat artist, this 74-minute anthology is the place to begin! Angelique's music manages to mix contemporary dance rhythms into African pop, with the sum coming out equal or greater than it's parts! Even amid the provocative, eclectic arrangements Kidjo's voice stands out, able to ride the uptempo rhythms and project the ballads with equal confidence and conviction.

Tracks from all five of her albums are included, plus a remarkale version of Gershwin's SUMMERTIME. There is a lot of variety within the chosen tracks, including softer performances (e.g., MALAIKA, NAIMA), a variety of danceable rhythm cuts, a couple of guest stars (Kelly Price, Santana), and even a unique cover version of VOODOO CHILD that sheds new light on the Jimi Hendrix classic. A highly recommended overview of a unique, original artist! It's a tribute to her talent that a number of excellent tracks didn't make it onto this CD (I wish her duet with Cassandra Wilson was included), but those that did are as good a cross-section of her career as one will find!

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Strong African based songs, June 15, 2002

By 

Neal C. Reynolds (Indianapolis, Indiana) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Keep on Moving-Best of Angelique Kidjo (Audio CD)

Angelique Kidjo was primarily influenced by the like of Jimmie Hendrix, Santna, Miriam Makeba, James Brown, fela kuti, The Beatles, and Aretha Franklin; her music styles encompass afro-funk, reggae, samba, salsa, gospel, jazz, Zairean rumba. All in all, though, she emerges strong African, Afro-American, and Afro-European.

This album of her best opens with "Summertime". Yeah, big deal, you might think, like how many versions of "Summertime" do you probably have in your collection. But I'll wager that none of them touch this version. She states that she never sings a song she doesn't love, that doesn't become her own, and that's sure true with this tried and true standard. Then comes her version of Jimmy Hendrix' "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", paying homage to one who greatly influenced her from childhood. Other standouts among her best ever are "Botonga", "Womba Lombo", the softly beautiful & almost fragile "Malaika", "Open Your Eyes" (duet with Kelly Price)

The most beautiful and touching ones, IMHO, come in a group: "Naima" with Carlos Santana (Another powerful influence in her music), "Tournier La Page", "Babalao", and "Agossi". I have no intention of slighting the other numbers here, but these are my very favorites.

If you haven't heard this songstress, I sure as heck suggest you give her a try. I do not believe you will be sorry.