ANGELIQUE KIDJO AND
THE AFRICAN WOMEN ALL-STARS
At the 50th Montreux Jazz Festival, Angelique Kidjo premiered this homage to the African women and to their musical creativity. Nigerian singer Asa, Dobet Gnaoré from Ivory Coast, Lura from Cabo Verde and the traditional Beninese band Trio Teriba joined Angelique on stage during this very special concert. The repertoire was a combination of famous songs from each guests and a variety of collaborations between them and Angelique.
Highlights included a version of Pata Pata with all the guests and Angelique’s Tumba, a final celebration of joy and dance with the audience on stage.
ASA
Aṣa (pronounced "Asha") is a Nigerian French singer, songwriter, and recording artist. Her stage name "Aṣa" means "Hawk" in Yoruba. Born Bukola Elemide, Aṣa was born in Paris, France to her Nigerian parents. Her family returned to live in Nigeria when she was two. Aṣa grew up in a small town near Lagos, in the south-western part of Nigeria. Twenty years later, Aṣa returned to Paris where her life as an artist took off. She soon signed to Naïve Records. Partnered with Cobhams Emmanuel Asuquo, she produced her first album, Aṣa. The album won the prestigious French Constantin Award in 2008, where she was voted best fresh talent by a music-industry jury.
Lura
Lura, born Maria de Lurdes Assunção Pina is a Portuguese singer and musician, of Cape Verdean descent. Her compositions are based on traditional Cape-Verdean music as for example theMorna, Funaná and Batuque, and influenced by African and contemporary Western music. She became a singer at the age of seventeen when Juka, an artist from São Tomé and Príncipe, asked her to sing a duet with him for a music album. The album became a success, and subsequently she participated in productions by artists such as Bonga, Tito Paris, Paulo Floresand Paulino Vieira.
Dobet Gnahoré
Dobet Gnahoré, a singer, dancer and percussionist from the Ivory Coast, inherited the force of the “Bété“ tradition from her father, Boni Gnahoré, a master percussionist who plays with the Abidjan-based Ki-Yi Mbock Company, directed by Werewere Liking. Dobet sings in a range of African languages including Bété, Fon, Baoule, Lingala, Malinke, Mina or Bambara, thereby reproducing the Pan-African tradition of the Ki Yi Mbock group.
On stage, her voice, her charisma and her huge presence, the result of several years theatrical and choreographic work, has great audience appeal.
Trio Teriba
Trio Teriba is a leading Female vocal trio from Benin. It unites the talent of Tatiana, Zékiath et Carine. Their music is highlighting the traditional sounds and polyphony from Benin and their own modern compositions. Their first album "Gan Na Ho" was an instant success in the country. They have collaborated with Angelique Kidjo on her Grammy Award winning album EVE.
“Last Sunday the Beninese singer created a concert of absolute beauty... She had invited a Nigeria, an Ivorian a Cape Verdian and 3 Beninese women…She is like an electric baobab whose voice resonate everywhere, far beyond the continent.”
