| Kabu | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1991 | |||
| Genre | Ethiopian music | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Iain Scott, Bunt Stafford Clark | |||
| Aster Aweke chronology | ||||
| ||||
Kabu is the second album by the Ethiopian singer Aster Aweke. [1] [2] It was released in 1991 via Columbia Records. [3]
The album peaked at No. 4 on Billboard's World Music chart. [4] Aweke supported the album with several North American concert dates. [5]
Production
The Washington D.C.-based Aweke sang the song lyrics in her native Amharic language. [6] The album was produced by Iain Scott and Bunt Stafford Clark. [7] Aweke mixed soul music sounds and raï with Ethiopian instruments, including the krar. [8] [9]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  
[10] |
| Calgary Herald | B+ [11] |
| Robert Christgau |
[12] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |
[13] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+ [14] |
| The Philadelphia Inquirer |
[8] |
Trouser Press deemed the album "heavy on midtempo grooves and ballads," writing that "the synthesizer on 'Kabu (Sacred Rock)' mimics a bass kalimba while Aweke’s vocals swoop and soar like a hummingbird." [15] Spin called it "mildly disappointing," but praised Aweke's voice for cutting through the "snooty" production. [16] Entertainment Weekly thought that "Kabu broadens the U.S.-based singer’s range with tight waves of fusion-based rock over which she can madly surf." [14] Robert Christgau praised "Yedi Gosh (My Guy)". [12]
The New York Times wrote that Aweke's "voice, thin, but sure and pliable, weaves in and around, stenciling delicate melodies against the band." [6] The Calgary Herald determined that "the horn charts are brash and brassy while the marimbas, shakers and bass convey a sense of the primal." [11] Stereo Review concluded that "Aweke unleashes her inner self, uttering oddly twisted wails and singing intricately elaborated melodic lines that can be as lovely as a piece of lace or as tough as a spider's web." [17] The Province opined that "Aweke sounds more sure of her direction and more at home in music that also is a happier blend of her roots and North American pop and jazz." [18]
AllMusic wrote that "Aweke's voice sounds even earthier and more passionate than on her debut album." [10]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Yedi Gosh (My Guy)" | |
| 2. | "Yas-Oh (Grab It, Get It On)" | |
| 3. | "Kabu (Sacred Rock)" | |
| 4. | "Kezira" | |
| 5. | "Bati" | |
| 6. | "Tchewata (Romance)" | |
| 7. | "Eyoha" | |
| 8. | "Bitchengna (Loneliness)" |
References
- ^ "Aster Aweke Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2021-04-28. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ Dorian, Frederick; Duane, Orla; McConnachie, James (October 4, 1999). World Music: Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Rough Guides. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ Thompson, Clifford (October 7, 2020). Contemporary World Musicians. Routledge. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ "Ballads from Africa". Chicago Tribune. Womanews. 6 Sep 1992. p. 2.
- ^ Johnson, Martin (19 Nov 1991). "Cultural Mosaics at a New-World Club". Part II. Newsday. p. 61.
- ^ a b Watrous, Peter (November 13, 1991). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ "Album Reviews — Kabu by Aster Aweke". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 43. Oct 26, 1991. p. 82.
- ^ a b Moon, Tom (1 Dec 1991). "Pop". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 10H.
- ^ Joyce, Mike (27 Dec 1991). "Evocative Aweke's Ethiopian/D.C. Soul". The Washington Post. p. N11.
- ^ a b "Kabu". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2021-10-04. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ a b Wagamese, Richard (26 Nov 1991). "Recordings". Calgary Herald. p. C6.
- ^ a b "Aster Aweke". Robert Christgau. Archived from the original on 2021-10-04. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. p. 319.
- ^ a b "Kabu". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2021-10-04. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ "Aster Aweke". Trouser Press. Archived from the original on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
- ^ Gehr, Richard (Nov 1991). "Spins". Spin. Vol. 7, no. 8. p. 108.
- ^ Garland, Phyl (Mar 1992). "Popular Music — Kabu by Aster Aweke". Stereo Review. Vol. 57, no. 3. p. 71.
- ^ Harrison, Tom (3 Apr 1992). "Talkin' 'bout Yedi Gosh". The Province. p. C3.
| Kabu | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1991 | |||
| Genre | Ethiopian music | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Iain Scott, Bunt Stafford Clark | |||
| Aster Aweke chronology | ||||
| ||||
Kabu is the second album by the Ethiopian singer Aster Aweke. [1] [2] It was released in 1991 via Columbia Records. [3]
The album peaked at No. 4 on Billboard's World Music chart. [4] Aweke supported the album with several North American concert dates. [5]
Production
The Washington D.C.-based Aweke sang the song lyrics in her native Amharic language. [6] The album was produced by Iain Scott and Bunt Stafford Clark. [7] Aweke mixed soul music sounds and raï with Ethiopian instruments, including the krar. [8] [9]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |
[10] |
| Calgary Herald | B+ [11] |
| Robert Christgau |
[12] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |
[13] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+ [14] |
| The Philadelphia Inquirer |
[8] |
Trouser Press deemed the album "heavy on midtempo grooves and ballads," writing that "the synthesizer on 'Kabu (Sacred Rock)' mimics a bass kalimba while Aweke’s vocals swoop and soar like a hummingbird." [15] Spin called it "mildly disappointing," but praised Aweke's voice for cutting through the "snooty" production. [16] Entertainment Weekly thought that "Kabu broadens the U.S.-based singer’s range with tight waves of fusion-based rock over which she can madly surf." [14] Robert Christgau praised "Yedi Gosh (My Guy)". [12]
The New York Times wrote that Aweke's "voice, thin, but sure and pliable, weaves in and around, stenciling delicate melodies against the band." [6] The Calgary Herald determined that "the horn charts are brash and brassy while the marimbas, shakers and bass convey a sense of the primal." [11] Stereo Review concluded that "Aweke unleashes her inner self, uttering oddly twisted wails and singing intricately elaborated melodic lines that can be as lovely as a piece of lace or as tough as a spider's web." [17] The Province opined that "Aweke sounds more sure of her direction and more at home in music that also is a happier blend of her roots and North American pop and jazz." [18]
AllMusic wrote that "Aweke's voice sounds even earthier and more passionate than on her debut album." [10]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Yedi Gosh (My Guy)" | |
| 2. | "Yas-Oh (Grab It, Get It On)" | |
| 3. | "Kabu (Sacred Rock)" | |
| 4. | "Kezira" | |
| 5. | "Bati" | |
| 6. | "Tchewata (Romance)" | |
| 7. | "Eyoha" | |
| 8. | "Bitchengna (Loneliness)" |
References
- ^ "Aster Aweke Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2021-04-28. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ Dorian, Frederick; Duane, Orla; McConnachie, James (October 4, 1999). World Music: Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Rough Guides. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ Thompson, Clifford (October 7, 2020). Contemporary World Musicians. Routledge. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ "Ballads from Africa". Chicago Tribune. Womanews. 6 Sep 1992. p. 2.
- ^ Johnson, Martin (19 Nov 1991). "Cultural Mosaics at a New-World Club". Part II. Newsday. p. 61.
- ^ a b Watrous, Peter (November 13, 1991). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ "Album Reviews — Kabu by Aster Aweke". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 43. Oct 26, 1991. p. 82.
- ^ a b Moon, Tom (1 Dec 1991). "Pop". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 10H.
- ^ Joyce, Mike (27 Dec 1991). "Evocative Aweke's Ethiopian/D.C. Soul". The Washington Post. p. N11.
- ^ a b "Kabu". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2021-10-04. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ a b Wagamese, Richard (26 Nov 1991). "Recordings". Calgary Herald. p. C6.
- ^ a b "Aster Aweke". Robert Christgau. Archived from the original on 2021-10-04. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. p. 319.
- ^ a b "Kabu". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2021-10-04. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ "Aster Aweke". Trouser Press. Archived from the original on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
- ^ Gehr, Richard (Nov 1991). "Spins". Spin. Vol. 7, no. 8. p. 108.
- ^ Garland, Phyl (Mar 1992). "Popular Music — Kabu by Aster Aweke". Stereo Review. Vol. 57, no. 3. p. 71.
- ^ Harrison, Tom (3 Apr 1992). "Talkin' 'bout Yedi Gosh". The Province. p. C3.