Album Notes

Edoheart (born Obehioye Eseohe Ikhianose Oghomwenyenmwen Cleopatra-Anne Arhebamen) and also known as Eseohe Arhebamen has been making art for as long as she can remember- for much longer than her name. In Nigeria, for a child to make things is nothing out of the ordinary as the economics demand that one be capable of entertaining, instructing and feeding oneself. So she has always made little things that she hoped would come into an existence of their own after she made them. Edoheart is an Edo / Bini woman of the Edo people of the great Edo Kingdom / Benin Kingdom in Nigeria. The Edo are world-famous for the bronzes they have made for centuries. You've seen them in the museums- intricate sculptures often made specifically for the Oba, testaments to skill. Out of this culture of fine workmanship, comes the beating rhythm of a pure heart- Edoheart. Incidentally, Edoheart is a princess of the Edo people and boasts an impressive lineage. A precocious child, she began reading at two or three years old and developed a facility with language that would lead to a great poetic talent, several awards, a globe-trotting performance art career and to making music. True to the Nigerian form of making do with whatever is at hand, all songs on this album have been created improvisationally- meaning, on-the-spot, without substantial preparation. The African roots of jazz become apparent in the expressive vocals flowing over danceable soundscapes. This is a new Nigeria- globalized, industrial and post-Fela Kuti! Edoheart's parents moved with her to Detroit when she was seven years old, going on to the fourth grade. This immersion into an inner-city hip-hop childhood (on 8mile and Livernois y’all) left an indelible impression on the young poet's mind. She realized that just talking if one talked right could make others move and began engaging in spoken-word tournaments and freestyle contests with friends. This led to collaborations with a diverse array of musicians and finally, this album. A true artist who was steeped in the multi-lingual multi-genre dances and musics of Africa and Africa-America, Edoheart says, "I believe in communicating without speech. When I make music, it is another actualization of the world I am obsessed with populating. I desire a space that can be inhabited for a time and returned to- a room with a purpose, be it weeping, dancing or remembering." Edoheart greets the future with this album, a future that is conscious of its origins in Africa and has achieved an equality of all peoples. In Bini- one of many Edo languages within Nigeria- "WA DOMO EDO" translates to, "I greet you Edo people." This greeting, with the word DOMO is usually reserved for men in a respectful tone. But true to her avant-garde creative style, Edoheart is addressing all peoples and is also welcoming herself to the world stage. Wa domo Edoheart, domo domo!

Edoheart’s website: http://edoheart.org where you will find even more creative sensations!