CHOIR PROJECT – Amina Figarova

AMINA FIGAROVA & MATSIKO WORLD ORPHAN CHOIR

In 2018, Amina composed a suite for a South African children’s choir and her sextet, which was performed at the “Joy of Jazz” Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa with a student choir from Soweto. Her aspiration was to record this masterpiece with the choir, but due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, it was impossible. However, fate intervened when Amina and Bart found themselves on the same flight from Europe to NYC with the Matsiko World Orphan Choir from Liberia. After conversing with the choir director, they decided to perform and record music together that was originally intended for South Africa. The Matsiko World Orphan Choir is composed of 24 orphaned and at-risk children from Liberia, West Africa. In 2024 this project performed at the New Orleans Jazz Festival LA, Dizzy’s – Jazz at Lincoln Center NYC, Litchfield Jazz Festival CT, Yale University CT, Crosstown Arts Memphis TN, and many more

Quotes

The 18 albums Amina Figarova has released to date have made her one of the most admired composers in jazz … Suite “for Africa”… It sounds like love become music. By Thomas Conrad for Stereophile, August 2024

The “Suite For Africa” feature the 24-voice choir. The joy and innocence, the youthful exuberance and the obvious zest for the task at hand are up front, bubbling with an embrace of life, despite the less-than-optimum life circumstances. Combined with Figarova’s sextet and the adventuresome playing all around, the music exhibits a joyous ***** By Dan McClenaghan for https://www.allaboutjazz.com/suite-for-africa-amina-figarova-and-matsiko-world-orphan-choir-amfi-records

Some albums you fall in love with the moment you put them on. For me, Amina Figarova’s newly released Suite for Africa(AmFi) was one of them. ……and Suite for Africa is a must-own and Grammy-worthy. By Marc Myers for JazzWax.com

Suite for Africa represents Figarova’s most dazzling and ambitious work to date, brimming with the exuberant spirit of the young choir, the vibrant and dynamic interaction of her superb sextet, and the delicate tapestry of world traditions that she so elegantly fuses in these stunning compositions. It may be a suite written for Africa, but it offers a multitude of rewards to listeners worldwide. By Thierry De Clemensat for Paris Move