Angelique Kidjo and Friends Light up Carnegie Hall

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Monday November 15, 2010

Angelique Kidjo and Friends Light up Carnegie Hall
from Afropop Blog
by Banning Eyre

It has been quite a year for Benin’s Angelique Kidjo. Her new CD Oyo—a musical autobiography featuring cameos by Bono, John Legend and others—garnered sterling reviews upon its release in January. She played the opening of the World Cup in Johannesburg in June. She was named a Peace Ambassador for the African Union in July. And, right here in her adoptive home of New York City, she sold out both Town Hall (in March), and as of last night, Carnegie Hall as well. I don’t know how many artists can say they packed both those august venues in a single year, but it has to be a short list. And to do it at a time when the economy is tanking and concert ticket sales are off across the board is nothing short of miraculous. Last night, Angelique demonstrated exactly why she can do all these things. She is quite simply one of the most talented, charismatic and irresistibly moving performers of our time.

To be sure, it did not hurt that Angelique invited along Youssou N’Dour, Omara Portuondo, and Dianne Reeves to share this moment of triumph with her. But from the moment she took the stage surrounded by The SRC Singers, holding forth a capella without microphones, it was apparent that this crowd belonged to the diva of Benin. Angelique assembled a classy band for the occasion, featuring, among others, Alex Cuadrado on double bass, Dominic Kanza and the amazing Romero Lubambo of Brazil both on guitars, Thierry Vaton on acoustic piano, loads of percussion and a terrific brass section. They kicked of the jams early on with the ebullient “Kelele,” and then Angelique ushered 80-year-old Omara Portuando of Cuba to the stage. This past summer, visa complications scuttled Omara’s headlining show at Celebrate Brooklyn, so she was a welcome sight and received a raucous greeting. And let’s not forget, Omara famously appeared on this very stage once before in the legendary Buena Vista Social Club debut back in 1998. History was in the air.

After a sparking duo with Angelique, Omara held forth on her own with a masterful read of “Guantanamera.” Incidentally, while this might be one of the most hackneyed songs in the entire Latin music repertoire, it was made brilliantly new twice in New York this week. Tuesday’s AfroCubism concert at Town Hall also included an inspired rendition of the old warhorse with Eliades Ochoa holding the center and Toumani Diabate (kora) and Lansana Diabate (balafon) embellishing with lavish virtuosity. Eliades and Omara are among the last living Buena Vista stars, so this was a rich week of classic Cuban nostalgia in NYC.

Read the full article here

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