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Album Details

• Artist: Gigi
• Album: Gigi
• Label: Palm Pictures
• Year of Release: 2001
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2003-03-30

Ethiopian singer Gigi (Ejigayehu Shibabaw) has created a fine debut. She reminds this listener of what Angelique Kidjo was up to when she first came out: fusing traditional African melodies into accessible pop songs. Where Kidjo used pop, Gigi resorts a bit more to a jazz side of things. She incorporates producer Bill Laswell to help her out and it proves to be a fine choice. He calls on his friends like Pharoah Sanders, Wayne Shorter, and Nicky Skopelitis to lend a glorious hand. Gigi does try and keep fairly close to traditional Ethiopian song stylings but unlike most musicians there she writes all of her own material. You will find that she is not afraid to incorporate many different western influences but they all just add to the whole package. Gigi has a beautiful and sometimes overwhelming voice that can handle anything she throws at it. Her music reminds us of the most fundamental human truths: devotion, harmony, and beauty. Some people just have it.

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