African Time, Live in Switzerland Gwen & Tiana
Album info
Album-Release:
2020
HRA-Release:
29.01.2021
Album including Album cover
- 1 Soki (Live in Switzerland) 08:30
- 2 De la Vie (Live in Switzerland) 07:45
- 3 Happy Again (Live in Switzerland) 06:03
- 4 On the Lane (Live in Switzerland) 13:41
- 5 I'll Make It (Live in Switzerland) 06:49
- 6 Keep on Going (Live in Switzerland) 15:20
- 7 African Time (Live in Switzerland) 11:56
- 8 Yesterday (Live in Switzerland) 04:16
- 9 Be Alright (Live in Switzerland) 11:22
Info for African Time, Live in Switzerland
Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the continuation of its relationship with Gwen & Tiana, for the release of their next album, African Time, Live in Switzerland, which will be released digitally worldwide on 29th January 2021.
Award-winning artist, Gwen & Tiana is an explosive duo of « afro-optimist » singers. Every time they go on stage, you can sense something special in the atmosphere. Time stands still as they spread their positive vibes and contagious joy with their audience.
Just like the two singers, their music reflects its diversity and cultural crossing. It's an chemistry between energetic African rhythms and jazz harmonies, performed by powerful soul voices. In an atypical journey between Africa and Europe, Gwen & Tiana delivers optimistic songs that celebrate love of self, of Africa and of life.
Gwen & Tiana’s debut album, African Time, released by Ubuntu Music in April 2019, is a poetic and melodious break, produced by the Nigerian-British jazz guitarist Femi Temowo. Musicians on the album included Oli Rockberger, Michael Olatuja, Soweto Kinch, Keyon Harrold and Grégoire Maret.
In November 2019, at the All Africa Music Awards in Lagos (Nigeria), the duo won the award of Best Artist in African Jazz.
Gwen & Tiana explain, “It's been four years since we wrote the songs of our debut album ‘African Time’ with Femi Temowo and Jo Güstin. Since then, we had such a blast playing these songs live with our amazing musicians and friends. These melodies and stories finally took us from our small flat in Warsaw, to all over Europe, Africa and Asia. After the release of the studio album last year, we felt like sharing a live version of some of our songs. We love the idea of sharing the vibe we create on stage with people from all over the world, wherever they are.”
The audiences feel something special, something gripping every time Gwen & Tiana perform. The chemistry between the two, the smile at one another and their love of their African heritage, soul music, jazz combined with their love for each member of the audience creates an infectious, spiritual vibe.
Gwen & Tiana continue, “The release of this live album with Ubuntu Music is for us a testament to the bond we have between us. The beautiful relationship we have with Martin since we first met is so unique. His presence in each step of the process always gives us strength and confidence. Above our common passion for music and people, we have a mutual love and respect for each other. All these things lead us to continue this journey growing stronger together. We feel so grateful to have Martin by our side. Thank you for who you are.”
Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, shares his views, “Gwen & Tiana are two exceedingly special people, with a spiritual grounding that lies deep within their African roots. They are amongst the kindest, most optimistic and hardest working artists I know. And All of this is reflected in their music, which achieves the highest articulated level when performed live. And this album captures exactly that. It’s so special to be bringing this vibe to the world, particularly during these difficult times. Gwen & Tiana are and continue to be a loving part of the Ubuntu Music Family.”
Gwen & Tiana
Gwen & Tiana
You can feel something special, something gripping in the air every time Gwen & Tiana go on stage. You see them look at each other, smile at each other and, all of a sudden, they are in complete adoration of their African legacies, soul music, jazz, but also of each member of the public who showed up to celebrate with them.
« Music is, for us, about sharing, at all stages of the process: in the composition, the collaborations, as well as on stage with the public. »
That friendship, that unfailing bond is rooted in the complementarity of the two singing artists: a complementarity of genders (Gwen Thomas, he; Tiana Ewane, she), of personalities, of cultural crossings, of instruments, of singing ranges. But just as you don’t get a baby by adding up their parents’ genes, Gwen & Tiana is not only half of Gwen Thomas and half of Tiana Ewane. The two Afro-optimists gave birth to an entity of its own, with its unique style and personality, and a long sought-after identity which has germinated and matured by dint of inner and intercontinental journeys, ending up in a hybrid place along the musical landscape of the world.
« We wanted to go beyond soul music, which has always been an important part of our artistic expression. Exploring African culture enables us to create connections, to build bridges between Africa and Europe, while our musical mixture has the taste of our own influences. ».
Just like their music, the singers of Gwen & Tiana do not come from one African country only, neither do they draw their inspiration from one sole African culture. Gwen & Tiana’s music unapologetically proclaims its diversity and cultural crossing. Gwen Thomas and Tiana Ewane met between France and Switzerland, but if only; Tiana comes from Cameroon and Madagascar, and Gwen, from Gabon, Togo, Senegal and Mauritania. A blend of numerous styles, their hybrid music is an alchemy between energetic African rhythmics and African Jazz sounds. Their EP African Time, a poetic and melodious break with an unusual Afro-soul rhythm was released in September 2016. It was a foretaste of the new album that released in spring 2019. The EP as well as the album are produced by the Nigerian-British jazz singer and guitarist Femi Temowo.
« Our album was recorded between France, Switzerland, England, Poland and Slovenia. We are passionate artists and entrepreneurs with the desire to develop our career between Africa and Europe. For us, the homecoming is today, more crucial than ever. »
Gwen & Tiana’s songs have been disclosed to the publics of famous festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival in 2015, the Montreux Jazz Festival and the Verbier Festival in Switzerland in 2016, the Cully Jazz Festival in 2017 and at their French and African (Cameroon, Gabon, Ivory Coast) tours that same year. The duo, who entrusted the Cameroonian writer Jo Güstin with the lyrics of its songs, has committed itself to delivering resolutely optimistic songs that celebrate love, of self, of Africa and of life.
« Our goal is to create a music that is entertaining, simple, warm and most importantly, heart-warming. »
This album contains no booklet.