Dark
Light

Suggestions

Probably the Jazz Album of 2007

December 15, 2024
5 mins read

REVIEW: ELISABETH KONTOMANOU’S “PEACE ON EARTH”

Friday, December 7, 2007.

By Kalamu ya Salaam of Kalamu.com

When people ask where I come from, I say I’m a child of the universe. I normally feel at home anywhere so long as I’m free to move around and explore!
—Elisabeth Kontomanou

Back To My Groove is a major albeit hard won breakthrough for vocalist/composer Elisabeth Kontomanou. Born in France to a father from Guinea (West Africa) and a mother from Greece, Elisabeth has put it all on the line on this album.

Nothing she has done before this equals what she has achieved here. This is more than a great singer singing great songs. This is literally life.

My new album revolves around personal things like my suffering in the past and my hopes for the future. There are old songs on it as well as more recent material. I’d say that unlike the last two albums I did, which featured covers of jazz classics, this album is simply a lot more personal. The songs I wrote for it tell the story of my life and while the episodes it touches on aren’t always funny, I think there’s an optimistic feel to things overall.
—Elisabeth Kontomanou

Everything comes together wonderfully. The songs are more than head tunes. These are full compositions with sections and deep harmonies that move beyond one or two chord vamps. And the lyrics: so honest, so bold, so real. Autobiographical to the bone.

On “What A Life”, Elisabeth recalls a difficult childhood because she was different. That little vocal vamp at the end of the song giving evidence that she is past the pain and can talk about her scars without bitterness.

Listen to “Where I’m coming From.” It’s an essay. When she asks “was this on earth or some other planet / I haven’t figured this out yet.” I thought: “Goddamn, this sister is going all the way there—“there”, being the state of self identification and of alienation.

The realization that just maybe, as Sun Ra always said, just maybe we are not from here; after all here is such an alienating space. When she got to “wait for me out there, turn around to see where I’m coming from” I was utterly convinced: Elisabeth has crafted a seminal statement at a time when most female vocalists are just trying to get a pop hit.

And then the band takes off, exploring all the textures of fearlessly soaring into inner space. It’s collective improvisation, at a level that smooth jazz can never fathom. That’s a significant part of the total package; the band plays full out. They are not backing Elisabeth. They are accompanying her. Step for step. Significant in this regard is the sturdy foundation provided by long-time musical cohort, Thomas Bramerie, on bass.

“Black Angel” is another burner, but this time there are no lyrics, just sounds. Elisabeth’s voice chanting with a harp in the mix complementing Elisabeth’s opening. This sounds like something Pharoah was doing back in the 197os. In Black Angel, Sam Newsome on soprano saxophone is exquisite in both his timing and the texture of his notes, counter-pointing the beauty of Elisabeth’s gritty improvisations. This is cutting edge jazz, jazz of the rarest sort.

Then there is the ghostly “Late Cold Night.” Guitarist Marvin Sewell who has played with oodles of folks including Cassandra Wilson is all up, around and under this tune, with those creepy obbligatos that are as sinister as a rattlesnake’s snare.

Elisabeth is no petite, cute, girly sounding ingénue. This is a full-voiced, full-bodied woman, fierce in her determination to make it as a jazz singer. On “Late Cold Night” Elisabeth is singing about New York City where she went to hone her craft. It used to be called paying dues.

You know, I left with a very negative image of the States, not of jazz. They’re two very different things. I’m planning to go back to New York, in fact, not necessarily to live there again, but to continue studying jazz.

New York is where jazz is alive, where the people who inspire me are. New York is also where I experienced real poverty and misery, of course. I had to do all kinds of odd jobs to survive. I used to go and get food hand-outs at church, but I hung on in there and I always did my gigs come what may.

I had this group back then, the Fort Green Project named after the local neighbourhood in Brooklyn where I was living at the time. They were a bunch of musician friends from Fort Green. I performed with them until I ran away from home with my kids and ended up living in a hostel for the homeless in Harlem. But no matter all the juggling I had to do – because the hostel closed early in the evening – I still managed to get out there and sing at night!
—Elisabeth Kontomanou

What we have here is a success at communicating: hiding nothing, revealing all. Writing about more than romantic love—indeed as she declaims in “Late Cold Night”: “here there’s no romance / only one night stands if you get the chance.”

I’m not saying no one else has gone through this but I am saying I don’t hear many other people writing about their experiences at this level, without self pity, without melodrama or sentimental sensationalism. This is clear eyed introspection. Look at her on the cover of her album. She’s smiling. Smiling the survivor’s smile.

A mother of four roaming the entrails of New York City explaining to her children why it is so important that she be here, important enough that they will stay in a hostel for a few days until she can scrap the money together for rent. Smiling self determination. We are going to do this. Regardless. Regardless of whatever.

Check out “Summer.” The arrangement is rhythmically rich. I especially like how her son, Gustav, has arranged the strings.

Check that harp in the mix again. Again, the strings are not there as a sweetener to make the music sound “pretty,” indeed the strings are used here to give both weight and a rough hewn heft to a song that could easily have easily been a lightly skipping, frothy throwaway piece. And, for that matter, I also really dig the emphatic and inventive drumming of her other son, Donald Kontomanou.

Elisabeth is betting her life on her ability to not only survive but also to thrive in a world that doesn’t really give a damn about art, about serious music—if you can’t shake to it, if it don’t ring the cash register, what the crooks say: forget about it! Elisabeth refuses to ignore her own worth. Elisabeth helps us to remember that our souls should not be for sale.

“Peace On Earth” is the last song on the album. It is the prayer. She chants her “la-la-laaaa” and declares “peace to the world.” It’s a simple but not inconsequential song, simply well sung with a delightful and welcomingly vibrant joie de vivre.

This album has my vote for jazz album of the year. I know there are some other beautiful albums out there but for a vocalist and composer, a mother of four, a grown-ass woman to pull it all together and give us this powerful offering, this is an achievement of the highest order.

Kalamu ya Salaam is a New Orleans-based writer and filmmaker. He is also the founder of Nommo Literary Society – a Black writers workshop.

Please e-mail comments to comments@thenewblackmagazine.com

Comments:

Dear Kalamu,

Thank you for writing that great article on Elisabeth.
I am hoping to see her CD released in the States really soon… desperately.

I really hope Elisabeth gets the recognition she deserves, she sets the ‘good example’ (sorry i’m not a writer). I’m disappointed not to see her albums rated in other popular websites and by US Jazz magazines, although whoever hears her agrees she is undisputably among the greatest out there.

The last time I browsed through Down Beat Polls, she wasn’t even mentioned. She has that unique spirituality, the way she communicates. She listens to you, she is available no matter how bad her situation is. And now, she is one of the most inspiring musicians out there, soaking up the essence of music.

I really hope to hear her in the States.

Thank you for bringing Elisabeth to us.

Have a great holiday
Nathalie

Post Views: 775

SholaAdenekan

109 Comments

  103. Jangan lewatkan kesempatan yang tidak datang dua kali sekarang ini karena hadiah dari Google kasih jackpot hanya datang sekali di link api88 secara cuma-cuma. Live Casino388 Pandora188 Panen138 selalu menyediakan permainan slot online yang sangat gacor dan mudah sekali untuk di menangkan, karena permainan ini sangat susah sekali untuk di menangkan di web lain. Situs Api88 juga merupakan sebuah tempat yang memiliki suatu fitur yang spesial dan berguna untuk memberikan akses ke dalam situs serta permainan secara cepat hanya dengan sekali klik saja, tidak hanya link alternatif yang bermanfaat namun juga informasi terupdate mengenai bocoran live RTP slot. Daftar situs slot bet 200 perak ini juga telah menyediakan berbagai promosi serta jackpot menarik lainnya dengan selalu mengedepankan kenyamanan dan keuntungan para pemain yang bermain taruhan slot bet receh di sini, berbagai bonus terbesar juga telah tersedia disini seperti bonus selamat datang atau bonus new member, deposit 10 ribu, dan yang tidak kalah menarik lainnya dari slot bet kecil 100 perak ini adalah tersedianya fitur paling update dan terbaru. Dengan banyaknya keuntungan yang diberikan kepada para pemain tidak ada ruginya jika bergabung sekarang juga.
    https://maxim88.plus/what-are-the-best-aviator-games-online-right-now/
    Experience the excitement of playing PG Soft demo slots for free at DemoSlotsFun. Our extensive collection includes all PG Soft games, plus early access to upcoming titles, so you’re always in the loop with the newest PG Soft slots. Finding slots that include one or more bonus features is a big attraction for many. Find out more in this review Conclusively, we can describe the Leprechaun Riches Slot as a well-designed and immersive game with unique features that keep the gameplay fresh and exciting. If you haven’t tried this game, we recommend checking the demo version to test your capabilities and see what it’s all about. Finding slots that include one or more bonus features is a big attraction for many. Find out more in this review Leprechaun Riches has a 97.35% RTP, a medium level of risk, and a maximum win possibility of x9893. The game is constantly interesting because of the well-balanced arithmetic and potential for large swings.

    Reply

  104. بعد إكمال عملية التحقق، يمكنك الاستمتاع بجميع ميزات 1xbet مجانا وتحميل لعبة 1xbet بأحدث إصدار. تذكر دائمًا تنزيل برنامج 1xbet من مصادر موثوقة لضمان سلامة التطبيق. 1xbet مصر دليل المصريون مكافآت تصل الى 85, 000 جنيه في الوقت الحالي ، يعرف جميع المراهنون ويعرفون كيف يدخلون بوابة BC. الإجراء بسيط للغاية ويتم في بضع ثوانٍ فقط. تسجيل الدخول إلى 1xBet يمكن تبسيطها بشكل كبير عن طريق تحديد عنصر “تذكر”. بشكل عام ، ميزات التفويض هي كما يلي: مهتمون رياضة , هل تحب المراهنة على الرياضة وتبحث عن شركة مراهنات موثوقة؟ ابدأ تسجيل الدخول 1xBet في مكتب الرهان هذا ، الذي يقبل منذ عام 2020 كـ الزبائن مصريون. الإجراء التسجيل تأكد من الذهاب مرة واحدة فقط. تخضع الحسابات المتعددة لعقوبات صارمة ، تصل إلى حظر جميع الحسابات النشطة.
    https://woodconsthesquart1973.raidersfanteamshop.com/https-tnm5-ma
    سنتحدث عن لعبة قيادة الطائرة الحربية مليئة بالمصاعب والأثارة والقتال والقصف باستخدام أحدث الطائرات الحربية المذهلة والأسلحة المتطورة الآن سوف نضيف معلومات والتفاصيل و مميزات أكثر عن هذه اللعبة ابقوا معنا لكي نخبركم عنها من خلال تجربتنا لها. أثناء تفعيل مانع الاعلانات قد لا تعمل بعض الألعاب بشكل صحيح, يرجى تعطيل مانع الإعلانات والنقر فوق تحديث للمتابعة. سنتحدث عن لعبة قيادة الطائرة الحربية مليئة بالمصاعب والأثارة والقتال والقصف باستخدام أحدث الطائرات الحربية المذهلة والأسلحة المتطورة الآن سوف نضيف معلومات والتفاصيل و مميزات أكثر عن هذه اللعبة ابقوا معنا لكي نخبركم عنها من خلال تجربتنا لها.

    Reply

  105. Answer: The Yono Games APK is an excellent application that offers users a sign-up bonus of ₹40 when they join. This game includes a fantastic bonus program, and you can learn more by reading the complete post. Additionally, Yono Games is a popular rummy game with a minimum withdrawal amount of ₹100 and a minimum deposit of ₹100. Jade_Chamber_Sunshine_v1.0.apk We’d like to highlight that from time to time, we may miss a potentially malicious software program. To continue promising you a malware-free catalog of programs and apps, our team has integrated a Report Software feature in every catalog page that loops your feedback back to us. With Trade Tiger, you can sort through live Mirae Asset Sharekhan Research, which makes it easier to find the research you want and also allows you to action calls faster and more easily.
    https://jszst.com.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=5736488
    The Space XY game by BGaming stands out as one of the top crash-style titles available today. With its high RTP, mobile-friendly design, and real-money potential, it offers a thrilling alternative to traditional slots. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Toggle between “All Bets,” “My Bets,” and “Top” sections to explore these statistics. The hamburger menu in the top-right corner provides access to animation, sound, and music settings. This menu also contains comprehensive information about game rules, betting limits, and your personal wagering history. A dedicated button allows you to verify the Provably Fair algorithm and review round outcomes.

    Reply

  106. Great goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you’re just too magnificent. sweet bonanza oyna: sweet bonanza slot – sweet bonanza demo sweetbonanza1st.shop Dalam dunia permainan slot online, para pemain selalu mencari platform yang dapat dipercaya dan menawarkan peluang menang terbaik. Di Indonesia, slot online semakin populer, dan banyak pemain mencari situs yang memiliki Return to Player (RTP) yang tinggi, bonus melimpah, dan tentu saja, jackpot besar. Pada artikel ini, kita akan membahas beberapa situs slot online terpercaya di Indonesia, serta cara meningkatkan peluang Anda untuk meraih max win. sweet bonanza: sweet bonanza 1st – sweet bonanza sweetbonanza1st.shop my blog post; direct purchase coinbase account Here is my page Buy reliable Binance account
    https://ml007.k12.sd.us/PI/Lists/Post%20Tech%20Integration%20Survey/DispForm.aspx?ID=248913
    De winst van de bonusronde wordt toegekend aan de hand van de inzet. Speel je met een inzet op een combinatie van twee nummers dan levert de bonusronde 50% van de totale bonuswinst op. Je krijgt de volle 100% als je met een inzet op een enkel Fire-nummer meespeelt. Zo is de verdeling weer anders als je met een inzet op drie nummers speelt of als je een hoekinzet plaatst op Mega Fire Blaze Roulette. Het spel kent leuke features zoals: de Free Games feature en de Fire Blaze Respin feature. De bonus maakt deze Blackjack variant zeer volatiel en maakt het lastig om een Blackjack strategie toe te passen. Dat maakt Mega Fire Blaze Blackjack waarschijnlijk minder geschikt voor echte Blackjack liefhebbers, maar zal de liefhebbers van live casino game shows zeer aanspreken! Ja, je kunt casino spellen voor echt geld spelen bij LiveScore Bet casino. De actie van hun cash games loopt 24 7, waardoor je op elk moment van de dag kunt inzetten. Tijdens live casino’s kun je gemakkelijk geldprijzen en gratis spins winnen.

    Reply

  107. The sound and design are top-notch, as well as the game doesn’t acquire boring thanks to the constant bonuses. The only drawback is that this takes a whilst to trigger typically the bonus rounds, yet it’s worth this when luck hits. You can play Sweet Bonanza genuine money mode to be able to win real money payouts. This true money version can be found wherever Sweet Bonanza is usually featured on a good online casino. The amount of gold coins you will get to play the particular game could be the amount of real cash deposit made directly into your account around the online casino. If gamblers are fortuitous, they could win a” “staggering 21, 100 occasions their original gamble, which is recognized with a 100x multiplier. The movements of the slot is medium, which means wins fall out and about very often, but can be small or perhaps large. The user interface of Sweet Bonanza 1000 is intuitive and user-friendly regarding players. All handles are arranged inside a logical way, making it easy to place gambling bets and start spins. Additional features like automatic spins and fast play setting allow players to customize the gameplay to their choice. The game immerses players in a new colorful regarding candy, fruits and sweets. Every detail will be drawn with great care, which generates the atmosphere of a real nice paradise Sweet Bonanza pragmatic.
    https://critanonul1972.bearsfanteamshop.com/https-mooncalf-me-uk
    We recommend playing the Sweet Bonanza demo or the real money version at the most popular slot sites that you can trust. We can assist you in selecting the best online slot site to suit your needs. All you need to do is navigate to our list of online slot sites and choose your ideal site. You don’t need any particular mobile device to access and play the Sweet Bonanza mobile slot. All you need is a mobile phone with a web browser to access the internet. Visit any of our recommended online casino sites and choose to play the Sweet Bonanza slot. Overview: One of the best crypto casinos canada, it was launched in 2022, Mirax Casino (Mirax Casino) offers a futuristic gaming experience, licensed by Curacao. Its innovative approach and player-focused features make it one of the best crypto casinos Canada.

    Reply

  108. With Lock and Attack, you can focus on specific targets. Once you activate it, the game focuses on a single type of fish. So, the game automatically fires these targets regardless of the other options that get in the way. You pair this with autoplay so the game can locate specific targets and automatically fire as many as possible. McLuck offers hundreds of slot games, live dealer games, and more! And while you can’t yet play online fish games at the casino, they are constantly expanding their offerings, and we wouldn’t be surprised if this popular category of games was added to their library in the near future! Fishing for Cash with the optional Power Bet feature makes this an excellent option for slots players who like to mix up their strategy. Whether you select the Power Bet or not, the base game features reels covered with seaweed symbols and fish symbols. Seaweed symbols don’t pay out, but all fish symbols pay out coins no matter where they are on the reels. No need to line anything up on the Fishing for Cash slot – if you land a fish, you land a fish!
    https://opendata.alcoi.org/data/es/user/drivsigndafa1974
    KOKOBET: How CasinosInCanada Fought for a Player’s Winnings and Why the Casino Narrowly Avoided Our Blacklist There aren’t many points garnered from graphical upgrades, however. Big Bass Bonanza 1000 lays on a typical Big Bass scene of bubble-lined see-through matrix, water, rocks, and so on. The same symbols return, same fisherman on the wild, same same all around, really. The 1000 in the title above the reels provides a clue that something’s up, but for a lot of the time, playing Big Bass Bonanza 1000 is very much like playing the original game. The basics of play are really nothing more than this. You press spin, and the 99% automated programming of this game does all the rest. You just have to hope you’re lucky to land a Big Win or to activate the special bonus rounds. All best games and gambling

    Reply

  109. É possível jogar Spaceman no F12 Bet desde que você tenha criado a sua conta e realizado algum depósito. Ao cumprir esses dois passos simples, todos os planetas deste popular caça-níquel ficam liberados. O Spaceman no F12 Bet aparece entre os jogos mais buscados. A razão disso? Ao lado do Aviator, esse caça-níquel no estilo crash oferece excelentes prêmios aos apostadores! O Spaceman no F12 Bet aparece entre os jogos mais buscados. A razão disso? Ao lado do Aviator, esse caça-níquel no estilo crash oferece excelentes prêmios aos apostadores! O Spaceman do F12 Bet é um caça-níquel bastante peculiar e justamente esse diferencial o torna tão atrativo para os jogadores. Caso queira entender como ele funciona, confira este artigo! Em um estudo sobre Suporte ao Cliente, nós, da KTO, fomos classificados como uma das melhores casas de aposta esportiva do país em termos de suporte ao cliente. Oferecemos respostas eficientes em média de 2 minutos por nosso chat ao vivo. Desta forma, qualquer dúvida em relação a aposta, antes ou durante o jogo, responderemos em minutos.
    https://wp16-c13013-2.btsndrc.ac/aviator-da-spribe-qual-plataforma-oferece-menor-delay-para-jogadores-brasileiros/
    O jogo de apostas Spaceman funciona de forma similar a outros crash games do mercado. Nele, há um multiplicador progressivo que aumenta de acordo com o tempo de voo do astronauta e o jogador deve tentar prever qual é o melhor momento para encerrar a aposta antes que o astronauta pare de voar.  O Spaceman Aposta conquistou seu lugar como um dos jogos mais populares no Brasil, oferecendo uma mistura única de emoção, estratégia e interação social. Seja iniciante ou jogador experiente, seguir estratégias inteligentes e aproveitar os recursos inovadores pode levar a uma experiência mais gratificante no universo do Spaceman. O Spaceman Aposta conquistou seu lugar como um dos jogos mais populares no Brasil, oferecendo uma mistura única de emoção, estratégia e interação social. Seja iniciante ou jogador experiente, seguir estratégias inteligentes e aproveitar os recursos inovadores pode levar a uma experiência mais gratificante no universo do Spaceman.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Rodneycrits Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Previous Story

A Soulful British New Year With Beverly Knight

Next Story

Le Chic: The Music of Les Nubians

Latest from Blog