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Angélique Kidjo is not only
one of the spunkiest, most electrifying performers in
the pop world today, but she's also one of its most
forward and creative thinkers, an artist whose mission
has been to explore the relationships of diverse musical
cultures. While she has steeped her music in the tribal
and pop rhythms of her West African heritage, the Benin-born,
Paris/Brooklyn-based Kidjo has effortlessly crossed
musical boundaries by blending a variety of styles,
including funk, salsa, jazz, rumba, souk and makossa.
The result of this fusion is a spirited, danceable,
international pop music that teems with wisdom. On "Black
Ivory Soul," her ebullient seventh album, Angélique
explores the musical kinship between Africa and Brazil,
specifically her Benin homeland and city of Bahia.
"The concept of the album is based on the idea
of bringing people together through music. Music is
a language beyond color of skin, country or culture,"
she says. "I believe music is the only way to heal
pain and bring people together." Speaking out on
injustice has been a central concern for Kidjo, who
now works with the United Nations as a goodwill ambassador.
She is a truly recognized international star and tours
with her band performing sold-out concerts in Europe,
Africa and the Americas. She has been influenced by
such African musicians as Miriam Makeba, has recorded
with Dave Matthews and toured this spring with Carlos
Santana.
Chuck Prophet plays a soulful, countrified
folk that Melody Maker magazine called "as close
to the genuine article as a white boy can get."
Right out of high school he joined the alternative
country band Green on Red, which released one EP and
eight albums. Since embarking on his solo career, Chuck
has steadily gained a loyal following. Select magazine
called him, "the best of this whole country-rock
genre since Gram Parsons - and that's no hyperbole."
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