Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Gino Sitson

Frank Bessem's
Musiques d'Afrique:

Gino Sitson
(Cameroon)

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Gino Sitson is an extraordinary multitalented musician. originary from West Cameroon. He is successfully blending African polyphonic traditions with jazz and blues, using his acrobatic vocal abilities. His first album was mainly vocal, on his latest album Song Zin'... both vocal and orchestrated pieces can be found.

He is able to imitate various instruments and effect with his voice only, his music is very original and full of humour. Yet, the music is never shallow or superficial and he explores the possibilties of tradition and modernity in a well-balanced manner.
He is mostly singing in Medumba, one of the Bamileke languages, so adapted to bluesy music.
He studied ethnomusicology in Paris (Sorbonne), where he started his stunning success as a vocal "acrobat" performing with numerous artists like Manu Dibango, Jorge Ben and Papa Wemba, among others. In 2001, he moved to New York, where he performs, and composes soundtracks.

Musicians on "Song Zin'...": Gino Sitson (lead vocal, vocal instruments, miscellaneous effects and back vocals, tracks 1-16),
Tracks 2-4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15: Carine Bonnefoy (piano), Noël Ekwabi (bass), Jean-Baptiste Dobiecki (tenor & soprano sax), Denis Tchangou (drums, percussion)
Tracks 3, 6, 10, 13: Valérie Belinga (backing vocals), Xénia Caraïbe (backing vocals), Joëlle Esso (backing vocals)
Track 6: Annabelle Alaga (spontaneous lyrics).

Born: As Pierre-Eugène Sitchet, in Bazou, Ndé Division, West Province, Cameroon
Style: world, jazz, vocal

Discography:

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
Bamisphere	2005	Polyvocal Records
Song Zin'...	2002	Piranha Records CD-PIR 1682	Previously released in 2000
Vocal Deliria	1995	Polyvocal Records PCR 069