Details
Track Listing
1. Seyin Djro
2. Congoleo
3. Bala Bala
4. Oulala
5. N'Yin Wan Nou We
6. Congo Habanera
7. Le Monde Comme un Bebe - (featuring Henri Salvador)
8. Mutoto Kwanza
9. Adje Dada
10. Djovamin Yi
11. Dje Dje L'Aye
12. Macumba
13. Bissimilai
Album Notes
Personnel include: Angelique Kidjo (vocals); Ramon Stagnaro (guitar, tres); Dominic Kanza (guitar); Justo Almario (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Luis-Eric Gonzalez (baritone saxophone); Francisco Torres (trombone); Rene Camacho (bass guitar); Michito Sanchez, Walter Rodriguez (percussion); James Felix, Tata Vega (background vocals).
Something of a stylistic chameleon, Angelique Kidjo has moved through radio-friendly pop, soul-diva stylings, rock, folk, and the vocal and rhythmic currents of her native Benin, Africa. OYAYA!, another step in Kidjo's musical odyssey, finds the artist exploring the sounds of the Caribbean, underscoring the link between African tradition and Latin music, as it evolved in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and elsewhere. Strains of bolero, merengue, salsa, and ska all figure into the mix here, and are expertly blended with the aid of Kidjo's versatile voice and her superb backing musicians.
Kidjo impresses as much with the variety contained on OYAYA! as she does with the accuracy and aplomb with which she approaches each style. The opener, "Seyin Djro," is a passionate, high-octane salsa number with polyrhythms that will coax even the most sedentary listeners to the dance floor. "Mutoto Kwanza" mines a high-energy ska groove, while the down-tempo, calypso-tinged "N'Yin Wan Nou We" showcases Kidjo's earthy, seductive ballad singing. More cohesive and focused than many of the vocalist's previous releases, OYAYA! is packed with beautiful, exuberant music, making for Kidjo's most mature and musically compelling recording.
Industry Reviews
3 stars out of 5 - [H]er voice is a wondrous thing and the African and Latin musicians are on the money every time.
3 stars out of 5 - [S]he immerses herself in diverse Caribbean sounds and her rich, meandering West African vocals embrace the slick Latin instrumentation of tunes...
OYAYA is a dance-inspiring mix of African-influenced ska, meringue, salsa, and calypso.
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