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West African Ssensation Uru's first CD release!

Sjoerd A. Koppert | Montecito, CA, USA | 01/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"IF YOU ARE SEEKING UTOPIA - URU KNOWS THE WAY THERE

http://www.urumusic.com or http://www.tantrumrecords.org/uru



Uru, short for Uruaku. In her native West African language, Igbo, her name means "essence of wealth." A wealth of talent, a wealth of worldly knowledge, a wealth of spirit, and a wealth of gifts for herself and others, Uru has all these and more, and she seems happy to share that wealth with her breathtaking self-titled new album.

When describing her creative process, Uru talks of melodies or words simply coming to her. Sometimes in song, sometimes in poetry, in no particular order and at no particular hour. Uru's lyrics are sometimes deliberately simple, but pay close attention and you will find them profound, laced with metaphors that provoke. With lines like: "I'll live inside your daydreams, I'll dance inside your heart, I'll play a symphony of strings until you come apart." Once you've entered Uru's world of music, you might just come apart.

Uru is a wealth of music, significantly influenced by her constant travels across the globe. She possesses an innate understanding of the common chord that runs through all genres. Elements of Rock, Hip-Hop, Blues, African rhythms and timing are interwoven into Uru's distinct own sound. As you listen to her work you will feel as though you are being taken on a special new journey.

That Uru is a beautifully passionate human being is obvious throughout every moment of this CD, whether she is singing in her distinctly soulful fashion or putting to use one of her many instrumental skills. But Uru's passion is not solely musical. For example, her CD contains a "hidden" bonus track, a song called "Wrap Up". This song serves as a global HIV / AIDS awareness anthem. Uru is also passionate about involving her home community in her work; she offers fans the opportunity to buy her CD in a leather satchel, hand-made for Uru by craftsman in a village in West Africa.

As you can tell, we are not talking about your ordinary, every day musician. Uru is much more than that: a truly unique talent that must be heard and seen to be believed. No wonder that in this, her first US release, she is aided by legendary drummer Aynsley Dunbar and bass virtuoso Mel Brown, as solid a grooving rhythm section as humanly possible. Watch this lady go places!!"