Angélique Kidjo "Djin Djin" (2007)

Djin Djin
release date: May 1, 2007
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,55]
producer: Tony Visconti
label: Razor & Tie - nationality: Benin

Track highlights: 1. "Ae Ae" - 2. "Djin Djin" (feat. Alicia Keys & Branford Marsalis) - 3. "Gimme Shelter" (feat. Joss Stone) - 4. "Salala" (feat. Peter Gabriel) - 5. "Senamou (C'est l'amour)" (feat. Amadou & Mariam) - 7. "Sedjedo" (feat. Ziggy Marley) - 8. "Papa" - 10. "Awan N'La"

10th studio album by Angélique Kidjo is a very fine but totally overlooked release. I think a lot of people only think of her 90s hit "Agolo" when hearing the name Kidjo. This is just better. Iconic producer Tony Visconti (Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Lou Reed) has produced - in addition several prominent gueats star on the album, including Alicia Keys, Joss Stone, Branford Marsalis, Amadou & Mariam, Carlos Santana, Josh Groban, Peter Gabriel, and Ziggy Marley. The album gave Kidjo a Grammy for "Best Contemporary World Music" album and a *"NAACP Image Award" for Outstanding World Music album.
*(National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)

Angélique Kidjo "Oyaya!" (2004)

Oyaya!
release date: 2004
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,05]
producer: Alberto Salas, Steve Berlin
label: Columbia Records - nationality: Benin

Track highlights: 1. "Seyin Djro"

9th studio album by Angélique Kidjo is a another combo of fon music - African pop and vocal jazz, just without the truly fine tracks one will find on her 2002 album.

Angélique Kidjo "Black Ivory Soul" (2002)

Black Ivory Soul
release date: Mar. 19, 2002
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,28]
producer: Bill Laswell
label: Columbia Records - nationality: Benin

Track highlights: 1. "Refavela" - 2. "Tumba" - 3. "Les enfants perdus" - 6. "Iemanja" - 7. "Afirika" - 13. "Iwoya" (feat. Dave Matthews) (live)

8th studio album by Angélique Kidjo who continues her fon music, which has become less orchestrated (except from on the title track) or perhaps less pop-minded, at least seen from a Western perspective. This has a nice warm vocal jazz feel to it, and I I generally like this more than her Ayé dance-pop, which tended to be a little over the top - production-wise.

Angélique Kidjo "Keep on Moving - The Best Of" (2001)

Keep on Moving - The Best Of (compilation)
release date: 2001
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: Wrasse Records / Columbia - nationality: Benin

Best of compilation by Angélique Kidjo.

Angélique Kidjo "Ayé" (1994)

Ayé
release date: 1994
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: David Z
label: Mango Records - nationality: Benin

Track highlights: 1. "Agolo" (live) - 2. "Adouma" - 4. "Tatchédogbé" - 6. "Lon Lon Vadjro" - 9. "Yemandja" - 10. "Tombo"

5th studio album by Angélique Kidjo and her major breakthrough album in Western Europe and in America. This is 'Westernized' African pop or: fon music, which in my mind, betters contemporary artists like Tina Turner, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Prince and the like. I remember this release from my then sister-in-law, who used to play it a lot, or whenever she didn't play Suzanna Vega, or: The Guide (Wommat) by Youssou N' Dour, released the same year. It's still quite enjoyable, although, it was never a really big favourite of mine.