ABYSSINIA INFINITE feat. GIGI

“ZION ROOTS” (Etiopía)

Ejigayehu Shibabaw, más conocida como “Gigi”, es una fabulosa cantante de cálida voz, nacida en una humilde familia campesina de Etiopía y residente en Estados Unidos desde finales de los 90, dónde grabó sus primeros discos.

Se empezó a hablar de ella con el álbum titulado “Gigi” (2001), producido por Bill Laswell, quien más tarde se convertiría en su marido, y en el que colaboraban grandes del jazz como H.Hancock y W.Shorter.En el año 2003 graba este disco bajo una banda llamada Abyssinia Infinite, el la que participan miembros de su familia haciendo coros, Aiyb Dieng y Karsh Kale en la percusión y el propio Laswell, que además produce el disco brillantemente, mezclando elementos tradicionales, jazz y un poco de dub.

TRACKS

1. Bati Bati

2. Gela

3. Alesema

4. Monew Natana

5. Embe Ashafergne

6. Gole

7. Aba Alem Lemenea

8. Gedawo

9. Lebaye

10. Ethiopia

“Ethiopia is also firmly rooted in Africa. The influences of the Dark Continent are underscored by the participation of a number of African expatriate musicians from outside Ethiopia. Two percussionists, Aiyb Dieng and Utkarsha "Karsh" Kale, have lent a hand in putting this compilation together. Producer Laswell himself has picked up the acoustic guitar for the occasion, while the versatile Tony Cedras provided additional musical support on accordion. Abyssinia Infinite consists of 10 compositions. The album opens with three present-day adaptations of the country's love song tradition. In particular "Gela," a creation of Gigi herself, deserves explicit mention. It starts with an intro by Melaku Gelaw on the so-called kirar, reportedly one of the oldest string instruments in the world. Melaku also signs on for the flute on "Gole," an ancient chant usually reserved for special celebrations like weddings. The jazziest piece is "Lebaye," which towards the end is dominated by Moges Habte's saxophone. The evocative, almost hypnotic, closing number "Ethiopia" is one of my favorites on this CD. Its "ethereal ambience" -- as the album's flyer has it -- indeed conjures up images of the Horn of Africa's majestic landscape of valleys and mountains. Translated into music it makes for an appropriate audio testimonial of Gigi's native land.”

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