Queen of Sheba
Angelique Kidjo & Ibrahim Maalouf
Shore Fire Media, June, 2022
The QUEEN OF SHEBA asks King Solomon to answer the seven riddles she will give him to which King Solomon provides seven answers.
Translation of Angelique Kidjo’s seven poems in French by Marjolijn de Jager
Queen of Sheba is bursting with a thrilling, vibrant energy. A soaring 7-part suite, it was inspired by, and reinvents, the myth of Queen Sheba, an African Queen who heard about the reputation of King Salomon and traveled to Jerusalem to witness the king’s wisdom. It’s an ancient story that’s appeared in the Bible, the Quran, the Talmud and in Ethiopian literature among countless other films and writings.
Queen Of Sheba was composed and scored entirely by Maalouf with all lyrics by Kidjo and sung by Kidjo in Yoruba. In addition to masterful quarter-tone trumpet performance from Maalouf highlighted throughout the recording, he composed and arranged the music for a full orchestra including strings, horns, drums, percussion, guitar, bass and electric piano. Kidjo’s long-celebrated voice is full of power, grit and grace as she reimagines a myth that has long captivated the world in a thought-provoking, modern light.
