Gigi – “Gold and Wax”

Ejigayehu “Gigi” Shibabaw is an Ethiopan angel with a multi-octave voice. She effortlessly merges ancient and contemporary sensibilities / through sounds.

Bill Laswell is one of the world’s most innovative, pioneering and prolific producers.He’s a sonic explorer, whose experimental forays into world crossovers began in the seventies and extends beyond tomorrow.

Together this husband and wife team cross time and the universe in a musical marriage made in heaven.

Gigi’s presence, backed by Bill’s production wizardry, first lit up the world In 2001, with her self-titled debut.

Five years later, she followed with “Gold & Wax” – an even more courageous and non-compromising offering, that reaches further, flirting with the boundaries of what we know as African or World music.

And this it does in the most beautiful way – a sensual and simultaneously sublime seduction. Angelic and pure, her voice is also richly textured, luxurious and elegant.

Cosmopolitan, universal and other-worldly, this is a music that imparts ancient information, merging mythologies alongside cutting edge electro and drum-and-bass beats.

Essentially African, her songs include elements of the Addis swing and big band sound of Ethiopia’s golden age; while also incorporating other international elements.

The line-up is an eclectic array of musical mastery, and amongst others, features India’s great sarangi player/vocalist Ustad Sultan Khan, alongside Norway’s Nils Petter Molvaer on trumpet and electronics; together with tabla player/drummer Karsh Kale, keyboard funkster Bernie Worrell and African multi-instrumentalists Abesgasu Shiota, Moges Habte, Aiyb Dieng and Assaye Zegeye.

Bill Laswell is the perfect pilot to steer Gigi’s expansiveness, providing a solid platform for her to travel between ancient, contemporary and futuristic realms – “Gold and Wax” is your invitation to join this journey!