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Award-winning, New York-based vocal virtuoso Gino Sitson is from the Bamileke region of Cameroon, Central Africa. He comes from a long line of musicians, known as Ntontas, ("players of horns") and his mother is a vocalist and choir director. He and his siblings were introduced to blues, jazz and African traditional music early in life.
Before embarking upon a professional career in music, Gino Sitson divided his time between music studies and the Sorbonne University in Paris, where he earned degrees in languages and ethnomusicology.He was gradually drawn into the multi-cultural Paris music scene, initially as a drummer, then as a singer.
Mr Sitsons four-octave voice plus his skills as a composer and arranger put him in high demand for recording sessions and for commercials and radio / television jingles (Danone, Peugeot, Vahine, etc). The versatile young vocalist performed in a musical and co-composed part of the music (Jeanne et le Garcon Formidable). He has laid down tracks or shared the stage with Manu Dibango, Ron Carter, Papa Wemba, Wally Badarou, Geri Allen, David Gilmore, Haruko Nara, Bobby McFerrin, Frank Wess, Ray Lema, Craig Harris, Roy Ayers, James Hurt, Antoine Roney, Luisito Quintero, Jorge Ben, John William, Mario Canonge, Wallace Roney, Brice Wassy, Oliver NGoma, Exile One, Steve Potts, So Why? (featuring Youssou NDour, Papa Wemba, Wally Badarou, Jabu Khanyile & Bayete, Lourdes Van-Dunem, and Lucky Dube), La Compagnie Creole, among others.
After the release of his first album, Vocal Deliria, which was acclaimed by the press, Gino toured in France and abroad with his Vocal-Afro-Jazz group. He performed at a number of jazz clubs and fests in Italy (Palermo di Scena, Musica Dei Popoli), Switzerland (Open PROMO), Germany (Quasimodo / Berlin, Popkomm /K..ln, Gostenhofer Jazztage), sometimes opening for stars like Brazilian singer João Bosco (Lecco / Italy). He also became a regular at top Parisian venues like New Morning, Petit Journal Montparnasse, Duc des Lombards, Sunset...
In 2000, Gino fell in love with New York City and decided to settle there. Since his arrival in the USA, he has been attracting sell-out audiences at top clubs and great venues (Carnegie Hall, Blue Note, Jazz Bakery, Zinc Bar, Joes Pub, SOBs, Sweet Rhythm, Ashford & Simpsons Sugar Bar, Blues Alley Jazz Club, Lincoln Center, Schomburg Center, Aaron Davis Hall, Snug Harbor Cultural Center), museums (Smithsonian, Museum for African Art, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Museum for African Art ), and festivals (a standing ovation at the influential SxSW expo in Austin, TX; JVC Jazz Festival ; opening for Roberta Flack at the Long Island Jazz Festival). He played before a delighted Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other dignitaries at New Yorks Gracie Mansion at the kick-off to the citys Immigrant Week celebrations.Gino Sitson was recently invited by Bobby McFerrin to join him on a PBS documentary about "THE MUSIC INSTINCT:SCIENCE & SONG".
Sitsons second album, Song Zin (I Want To Tell You), was released in April 2002 to rapturous worldwide acclaim. It was selected by the Los Angeles Times as a Top Ten Jazz CD of 2002 and nominated for a Kora award (Africas equivalent of a Grammy).
His latest release (recorded in New York City), Bamisphere, features Ron Carter (double bass), Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums), Essiet Essiet (double bass), and Helio Alves (piano). It is an adventurous soundscape comprised of a dozen all-new tunes in which ancient memories and fresh aspirations join forces and are transformed into expressions of joy, loss and one-world philosophy.
Sitson is part of the ongoing Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series and leads professional and amateur vocal workshops for adults and children. He is a member of Chamber Music America. He is regularly engaged for movie scores and commercials. He made several TV appearances and has composed music for the noted childrens TV show, Dora The Explorer (Nickelodeon).
Meanwhile, Ginos international career continues apace. He has received nominations from the WMCE (World Music Chart Europe) and the RFI Awards. His recent output includes soundtracks to Betrayal (Kevin Ngooh) and Blue Lotus (Dayo Ayodele); jingles for France Television and France 3; producing an album for Cilou, a French singer; an ongoing collaboration with his German-based brother, vocalist-composer-percussionist-actor Louis Sitson (www.louis-sitson.com); and a remarkably successful 2004 performance at Jazz a Vienne (France), one of Europes biggest festivals.
Gino Sitson is the only vocalist who is incorporating African polyphonic techniques into the improvisational jazz vocalese tradition. Through his vocal wizardry and 4 octaves, he stunningly creates an endless range of sounds. Sitson's daring musical project combines with maturity jazz, gospel, blues and traditional African rhythms and melodies in a most innovative way. His lyrics are mostly sung in Medumba, one of the numerous Bamileke languages of Cameroon.
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