A native of Cameroon in Central Africa,
Gino Sitson has a voice with a four-octave range. On Bamisphere, that voice is a marvelous instrument heard on a dozen originals, most with lyrics in Medumba, one of a number of Bamileke languages from West Cameroon. Several well-known musicians are here, including Brazilian pianist
Helio Alves, either
Ron Carter or
Essiet Okon Essiet on bass, and drummer
Jeff "Tain" Watts.
Sitson's "A Leudo Wou" is a boppish vehicle with an African lyric, while the infectious rhythm of "Massalo" is a perfect backdrop for his adventurous vocal. Several of the works are unaccompanied performances utilizing multi-tracking with
Sitson simulating instruments with his voice, along with special effects and backing vocals, though they will appeal mainly to those who enjoy
Bobby McFerrin's similar solo recordings. In any case,
Gino Sitson is a talented musician with a clear vision of what he wants to achieve, so he is well worth investigating. ~ Ken Dryden