Gigi
Gigi
(Palm Pictures)
The most startling new voice I've heard since, perhaps, Sinead singing "Troy" belongs to an Ethiopian woman, Ejigayehu Shibabaw, who, thankfully for DJs, goes by Gigi. As a special guest at the debut show of world fusion supergroup Tabla Beat Science this past summer, her voice floated in the stratosphere among the treetops over the insistent beat supplied by tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, bassist Bill Laswell and Karsh Kale on the traditional kit. Her self-titled debut is now out on Palm Pictures and comes close to recapturing that afternoon at San Francisco's Stern Grove.
In her brief acknowledgements in the liner notes, none other than Chris Blackwell is given prominent thanks. Nearly thirty years ago, he introduced the, mostly white, Western listening audience to a fellow named Bob Marley. I don't think Gigi is going to have the same sort of impact -- not least because she sings in her native Amharic -- but a debt of gratitude is owed yet again to Blackwell by anyone who picks up this disc. Nevertheless, Blackwell stacks the deck a bit by surrounding Gigi with as impressive a line up of musicians as her pipes. How about these apples: Herbie Hancock, Pharoah Saunders, Wayne Shorter, Laswell, Nicky Skopelitis and Henry Threadgill join a host of African musicians on traditional instruments and backing vocals.
The lyrics have been translated and, where appropriate, footnoted. This gives the listener added appreciation for the breadth of Gigi's songs. Her lyrics exult the Nile, loves lost and found, the current debate about the diluting of her culture and Ethiopian history. The music is as current as the big river as inspiration is ancient. For those who have heard any of the discs in the phenomenal nine-disc collection Ethiopiques, will recognize the mixture of jazz stylings with traditional instrumentation that is a hallmark of contemporary Ethiopian pop. Gigi further introduces touches from the dance floor, though unlike the Tabla Beat Science gig where the pulse was near nonstop, the album rarely reaches those BPM. Indeed, one of the most arresting tracks is the album closer "Adwa" a remembrance of an epic battle against European colonizers that is mostly a cappella with understated saxophone accents. A stunning debut.
Rating: 9
-- Tim Frommer
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