US: Angelique Kidjo Pays Tribute to Celia Cruz
By Dennis Kabatto – Angelique Kidjo is more than ready for her Tribute to Celia Cruz at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival
Benin-born, multiple Grammy winner after interview for this story in Proviini Restaurant in Brooklyn, New York
Ms Kidjo, a multiple Grammy award singer, songwriter, Unicef goodwill ambassador and arguably Africa’s most energetic and popular female performer will be joined onstage at Prospect Park Bandshell in Brooklyn, New York on Friday, July 29 by US based Cuban percussionist Pedrito Martinez and internationally acclaimed Cuban composer, saxophonist and percussionist Yosvany Terry and his Quintet.
“I was the one that proposed to do a tribute to Celia Cruz because I love Celia since I was a child. I was a teenager when she first came to Cotonou, Benin with Johnny Pacheco. And salsa is huge in Africa,” Ms. Kidjo said over mint tea during an interview at Provini Restaurant in Brooklyn, New York.
Multiple Grammy winner Angelique Kidjo poses in Provini Restaurant after an interview for this story
Ms Kidjo reminisced of her initial encounter with Ms. Cruz in her hometown in Benin, West Africa “seeing that woman with that power going around, my eyes were popping out of my head I was like what is this tornado? She was amazing”
She said her admiration for ‘The Queen of Salsa’ as Ms. Cruz is famously known goes way beyond her musical prowess, adding, she never gave up her own culture, her own Cuban music and it is something that she appreciated and admired her for.
She describes her as “one of those powerful women in the world that have a similar story,” offering a comparison of how Ms Cruz left her country Cuba because of communist dictatorship and the manner in which she left her country Benin in 1983.
Ms Kidjo whose performances have always been vibrant assured her fans and people who hope to check-out the show that “We will have fun and everybody have to bring their dancing shoes, they have to be ready it is going to be hot but you going to dance, there is no other choice.”
The BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival is listed as one of the longest running, free, summer outdoor performing arts festival at Prospect Park Bandshell in New York City
Angelique Kidjo performs at 2015 Summerstage Festage Festival in Central Park, New York City. Credit:dk’s 4tos.
Ms Kidjo whose performances have always been vibrant assured her fans and people who hope to check-out the show that “We will have fun and everybody have to bring their dancing shoes, they have to be ready it is going to be hot but you going to dance, there is no other choice.”
The BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival is listed as one of the longest running, free, summer outdoor performing arts festival at Prospect Park Bandshell in New York City
