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ENTERTAINMENT

Banquet Saturday, February 16th, 7.30pm (at Sheraton Boston Hotel) Dress Code is Formal and/or African attire Open to participants registered for the banquet Banquet Performer Angelique Kidjo Official End-Of-Conference Party Saturday, February 16th, 10pm (at Sheraton Boston Hotel) DJ Obi (AJ Entertainment) {genre: coupe decale, makossa, mapouka, highlife, hip hop, R&B, dancehall and more} Open to all participants registered for the conference

Angelique Kidjo (Grammy Award--Best World Music Album: 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007)   The explosive growth in the popularity of world music during the past several decades has broadened the boundaries of our world, reminding listeners of the vast cultural wealth and diversity in this wired age. The music of African-born songstress Angelique Kidjo offers another perspective: that the world is also much smaller than we think, and that no matter how far flung its peoples may be, subtle lines of interconnection span the globe, uniting its people. Angelique Kidjo, whose work has garnered her four Grammy nominations, has cross-pollinated the West African traditions of her childhood in Benin with elements of American R&B, funk and jazz, as well as influences from Europe and Latin America. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with a diverse group of international artists like Carlos Santana and Gilberto Gil. Her duet with Dave Matthews on the song Iwoya, which appeared on her last record Black Ivory Soul, was a critical success that helped diversify her fan base. The daughter of an actress, dancer and theatrical producer, Kidjo was born in Quidah, a coastal city in the West African country of Benin. Inheriting her mother's love of performing, she made her stage debut with her mother's theatrical troupe. Inspired by the rock, pop and soul music of Jimi Hendrix, Santana, Miriam Makeba, James Brown and Aretha Franklin, she was singing professional by her twentieth birthday. Although Pretty, produced by Cameroun-based vocalist Ekambi Brilliant, yielded a hit single, "Ninive," the oppressive political environment of Benin led her to relocate to Paris in 1980 where her international career started to blossom. In the course of her successful career Angelique Kidjo has spread her rhythmic Afro-funk fusion to the four corners of the globe.With her fun-loving personality, her on-stage charisma and her totally unique voice, Ms. Kidjo is certainly one of the most popular artists on the current world scene.