Angélique Kidjo‘s Celia, a contemplation of Celia Cruz’s African roots, might be my favorite album of the year. Maybe I should’ve chosen a video of her singing “La Vida es un Carnaval” or “Bemba Colorá” or “Sahara” for this, but I wanted to showcase Kidjo’s interaction with her audience at her BBC Proms debut this year. I can’t help but smile every time I watch it. This music, this kind of performance draws hearts together. In the weeks to come, I think we could all use a good reason to smile together.
Tag Archives: West African jazz
Orchestra Baobab – Ndéleng Ndéleng
A prolific group (established in 1970, still recording & touring) that I'm surprised hasn't been featured here before. This was recorded in late 2007.
Move your feet!