Tuesday, 3rd December 2002, 3:59pm
An opinion by:
Nette
Global Divas by Voices from Women of the World
Jazz Grrls draw their inspiration from a myriad of sources always, and one of mine has always been the traditional music of other countries - hmm, I think it is called world music these days. Flamenco and fado inspire me in particular, much in the same way musicians I know can become obsessed with the bossa nova, latin beats, african rhythms - you get the idea. This compilation of three cds contains selections from all over the world, with the unifying theme being that these are female performers, singers, who have made a mark both musically and often politically in their homelands. I was really excited to find selections from some of my absolute favourite performers of all time, such as Amalia Rodrigues from Portugal, Elis Regina of Brazil, Idjah Hadidjah of Indonesia, Aretha Franklin representing the U.S. These are consummate performers.
Now I am discovering a whole world of new voices. In particular I am obsessing over Dimi Mint Abba from Mauritania, Oumou Sangare from Mali and Kristen Braten-berg of Norway. But I've only scratched the surface so this boxed set will keep me listening and discovering for a long time. I suggest it here as a tool and source of inspiration. Thanks to Brooke Wentz, the producer, for selecting such great voices. Notable too - a portion of the proceeds of sales of these cds goes to the United Nations Development Fund for Women.
