Õÿö (Deluxe Edition)

iTunes Review

On 2010’s Õÿö, the veteran Benin-born singer Angélique Kidjo is joined by a fine backup group — guitarist Lionel Loueke (also a Benin native), drummer Kendrick Scott, bassist Christian McBride, and percussionist Ibrahim “Thiokho” Diagne — along with several guest artists. The opener, “Zelie,” written by the Togolese singer Bella Bellow, features Kidjo’s powerful vocals accompanied by Hendrix-like guitar tones. Santana’s “Samba Pa Ti,” which is nicely rendered in Yoruba, has an effective string arrangement, mellow horns, and a solo by trumpeter Roy Hargrove. The great Curtis Mayfield is represented by “Move On Up,” a track that spotlights appearances by Bono and John Legend. “Lakutshona Llanga” is a lullaby made famous by Miriam Makeba, while “Kelele” injects Highlife into the album’s flow. Diane Reeves comes onboard for “Monfe Ran E,” a version of the Aretha Franklin classic, “Baby I Love You.” Kidjo nods to the Bollywood movies that were popular in Africa on “Dil Main Chuppa Ke Pyar Ka” which has a Trinidadian vibe. And on “Atcha Houn,” the singer turns to a traditional song from Benin.