Gigi
For her major label debut, Ethiopian chanteuse Gigi has found the ideal  sonic foil in producer Bill Laswell. He provides a solid foundation for her  compositions and airy voice, grounding them with gospel organ, an elastic rhythm  section, and contributions from some top jazz names, includingWayne Shorter,Herbie Hancock, andPharaoh Sanders, to lend an air  of adventure. Gig's Amharic lyrics might not be readily understood by American  ears, but her seductive tones are warm enough to translate into any language.  Despite its studio gloss and sometime ambient excursions, as on "Adwa," the  record was made by real, live musicians, without loops or samples, giving it a  richness and depth. The music works superficially as pleasurable background, but  listen more closely and there's a definite sophistication to the tracks that  gives the album longevity, and marks Gigi as an emerging major talent.--Chris Nickson