Artist : Dee Dee Bridgewater
Album : Red Earth (A Malian Journey)
Label : Universal
Genre : Jazz
Bitrate : 197 kbps avg
Source : CD (LP)
Playtime : 01:09:48 (103.MB)
Rls date : 2007-03-28
Store date : 2007-03-26
[Track List]
1. Afro Blue 5:11
2. Bad Spirits (Bani) 5:49
3. Dee Dee 2:57
4. Mama Don't Ever Go Away (Mama Digna Sara Ye) 5:39
5. Footprints 6:48
6. Children Go Round (Demissenw) 6:05
7. The Griots (Sakhodougou) 6:04
8. Oh My Love (Djarabi) 6:03
9. Four Women 5:24
10.No More (Bambo) 4:45
11.Red Earth (Massane Cisse) 5:17
12.Meanwhile 4:25
13.Compared To What 5:21
This union of a premier jazz diva and the wonderful
traditional sounds from Mali was a project that had been
forming in BridgewaterÆs mind for many years. Having been
elected in 1999 as one of the United NationsÆ first
Ambassadors for the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO), Bridgewater was granted a unique opportunity to
travel to Africa, visiting villages involved with various
FAO programs. Over the years, she amassed a library of
music from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Congo, Benin,
South Africa and Madagascar among many others. As she
narrowed her focus, one countryÆs music came to the fore.
ôWhenever I heard it, I would get a jolt.ö she recalls.
ôIn the end of 2003, I started thinking it must be Mali. I
had an inexplicable knowledge and ability to scat to and
comprehend this rhythm and music.ö
However, it was not until August 2004 that Bridgewater
decided to make the long-awaited trip to Mali. It was
during this first voyage that Dee Dee intensely felt she
had found her ancestral home. Her instinctual connection
to Malian ôbluesö, an inexplicable draw to the red earth -
the ancient sign of life forces and land of her ancestors
- and her amazing resemblance to the Malian tribe called
æPeulÆ all confirmed her suspicions, drawing her in with
undeniable spiritual force.
Through many spontaneous jam sessions, in-the-moment
improvisations the music formed in a completely natural
and effortless way. The musical journey also naturally
began to address the socio-political issues that are at
the forefront of daily life in Mali and Africa in general.
Thus she called upon outspoken womenÆs rights
representatives and singers Oumou SangarΘ, Ramata DiakitΘ,
rising star Mamani KΘita and Fatoumata "Mama" KouyatΘ û
all giving voice to the concerns and needs of AfricaÆs
women. Dee Dee also tapped into the cultural lifeblood of
the society by featuring many Malian GriotÆs; traveling
musicians and storytellers who keep the fascinating and
hugely rich heritage of the culture alive through an aural
history, passing it on down the generations. Among those
featured are KassΘ Mady DiabatΘ, up-and-coming talent
KabinΘ KouyatΘ, and musical griots BassΘkou KouyatΘ,
Toumani DiabatΘ and Baba Sissoko. While using the ancient
Griot stories as a starting point, Bridgewater used her
own musical heritage to add subtle nuances to these
traditional sounds, particularly on æChildren Go æRoundÆ
where the music came pouring out at an intimate jam
session at BassΘkou KouyatΘÆs house with two
percussionists and BridgewaterÆs youngest child, her son
Gabriel Durand, sitting in on guitar.
Naming the album after the endless view of æred earthÆ
from her window in the morning, this is a raw, emotionally
honest work that showÆs both BridgewaterÆs amazing depth
of talent and versatility but also demonstrates once again
that music is a truly universal language.