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Big Blue Ball is more of a collective than a band, with the final project being completed well over a decade after the majority of the sessions. Back in the '90s (1991, 1992, and 1995 to be exact), Peter Gabriel and Karl Wallinger invited friends and musicians from around the world to participate in weeklong collaborative writing and recording sessions at Real World Studios. The results were then crafted into this album. Overall, the album crosses the globe-trotting multiculturalism of Music and Rhythm (the first WOMAD compilation) with the slick production of Gabriel's Us (released about the same time these sessions took place). Couple the fact that Gabriel's solo work has been increasingly infused with world music beginning with Security and the fact that he's got one of the more recognizable voices in music, and Big Blue Ball almost plays like a lost Peter Gabriel album. This is not meant to diminish the strong contributions of others. Hossam Ramzy and Natacha Atlas take the lead on "Habibe" and Márta Sebestyén, Sinéad O'Connor, Rossy, and Papa Wemba all turn in great vocal performances. Joseph Arthur and Iarla Ó Lionáird's "Altus Silva" actually sounds a bit like Gabriel, and when Arthur joins Gabriel on "Exit Through You," the result could easily be a So outtake. The sound changes a bit at the end of the album, moving from the Peter Gabriel '90s sound to something a bit more 21st century with the Malagasy rap of "Jijy" and the sampled horns of the title track. It's a bit odd that Big Blue Ball was so long in coming, but Peter Gabriel fans will find it was worth the wait.
© Sean Westergaard /TiVo
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Peter Gabriel, Lead Vocals, Keyboards - Andy White, Tim Finn, Backing Vocals - Alexis Faku, Backing Vocals, Bass - Francis Bebey, Flute - Karl Wallinger, Paul Allen, Guitar - Written by Alexis Faku, Andy White, Geoffrey Oryema, Karl Wallinger, Peter Gabriel, Tim Finn - Gallo Music Publishers - Mushroom Music Pty - Real World Music Ltd - Reverb Music Ltd - Universal Music Publishing - Womad Music Ltd
2008 Real World Records Ltd 2008 Real World Records Ltd
Natacha Atlas, Vocals - Stephen Hague, Keyboards - Tim Whelan, Baglama [Saz] - Hossam Ramzy, Neil Sparkes, Drums, Percussion - Adel Eskander, Momtaz Talaat, The Hossam Ramzy Egyptian Ensemble, Wael Abu Bakr, Strings - Written by Hossam Ramzy, Natacha Atlas, Neil Sparkes, Vernon Reid - Programmed by Chuck Norman - Annie Reed Music Ltd - Hossam Ramzy PRS. MCPS, PAMRA - Copyright Control
2008 Real World Records Ltd 2008 Real World Records Ltd
Reddy Amisi, Backing Vocals - Tchad Blake, Drums [Frame] - Cañizares, Guitar - The Papa Wemba Band, Percussion - Papa Wemba, Vocals - Written by Cañizares, Karl Wallinger, Peter Gabriel, Shungu Wembadio - Real World Music Ltd - Real World Works Ltd - Universal Music Publishing - Copyright Control
2008 Real World Records Ltd 2008 Real World Records Ltd
Iarla Ó Lionáird, Joseph Arthur, Vocals - Ronan Browne, Bagpipes [Uilleann] - Noel Ekwabi, Bass - The Papa Wemba Band, Congas - Tchad Blake, Keyboards, Harmonium - Eric Mouquet, Michel Sanchez, Piano, Keyboards - Vernon Reid, Synthesizer [Guitar Synth] - James McNally, Whistle, Tin Whistle [Low Whistle] - Programmed by Chuck Norman - Written by Eric Mouquet, Iarla Ó Lionáird, James McNally, Joseph Arthur, Michel Sanchez, Ronan Browne - Editions La Paya (Catalogue YEAA Music) - Michel Sanchez Music (MSM - Real World Music Ltd - Womad Music Ltd
2008 Real World Records Ltd 2008 Real World Records Ltd
Peter Gabriel, Vocals, Bass, Keyboards - Justin Adams, Backing Vocals - Karl Wallinger, Guitar, Backing Vocals - Tchad Blake, Shaker, Tambourine, Bass - Joseph Arthur, Vocals, Guitar - Programmed by Chuck Norman - Written by Joseph Arthur, Peter Gabriel - Real World Music Ltd
2008 Real World Records Ltd 2008 Real World Records Ltd
Sinead O'Connor, Vocals - Sevara Nazarkhan, Backing Vocals - Ged Lynch, Drums - Joji Hirota, Drums, Percussion, Drums [Chinese] - Guo Yue, Flute - Richard Evans, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Rupert Hine, Keyboards - Angie Pollack, Piano - Written by Joji Hirota, Sinead O'Connor - Emi Music Publishing - Womad Music Ltd
2008 Real World Records Ltd 2008 Real World Records Ltd
Peter Gabriel, Vocals, Keyboards - Jules Shear, Karl Wallinger, The Holmes Brothers, Backing Vocals - Jah Wobble, Wendy Melvoin, Bass - Arona N'Diaye, Djembe - Billy Cobham, Drums - David Rhodes, Justin Adams, Guitar - Tchad Blake, Synthesizer [Guitar Synth], Organ, Shaker [Skin Shake], Drums [Hi Hat, Frame] - Programmed by Chuck Norman - Written by Karl Wallinger, Neil Sparkes, Peter Gabriel - Real World Music - Universal Publishing Ltd
2008 Real World Records Ltd 2008 Real World Records Ltd
Hukwe Zawose, Vocals - Levon Minassian, Duduk [Doudouk] - Vernon Reid, Guitar - Arona N'Diaye, Percussion - Programmed by Chuck Norman, Stephen Hague - Written by Arona N'diaye, Chuck Norman, Hukwe Zawose, Levon Minassian - Explorians - Womad Music Ltd
2008 Real World Records Ltd 2008 Real World Records Ltd
Stephen Hague, Accordion - Marta Sebestyen, Lead Vocals, Flute - Karl Wallinger, Bass - Peter Gabriel, Drone - Chuck Norman, Drone, Performer [River Pad], program - Vernon Reid, Synthesizer [Guitar Synth] - Written by Marta Sebestyen - Kismet Bt.
2008 Real World Records Ltd 2008 Real World Records Ltd
Rossy, Vocals - Jah Wobble, Bass - Arona N'Diaye, Percussion - Programmed by Chuck Norman, Stephen Hague - Written by Jah Wobble, Karl Wallinger, Peter Gabriel, Rossy - Real World Music Ltd
2008 Real World Records Ltd 2008 Real World Records Ltd
Stephen Hague, Accordion - Karl Wallinger, Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Keyboards - Manu Katché, Drums - Tchad Blake, Drums [Kick Drums], Bells - Peter Gabriel, Piano, Organ, Keyboards [Solo] - Programmed by Chuck Norman - Written by Karl Wallinger - Universal Music Publishing
2008 Real World Records Ltd 2008 Real World Records Ltd
Album review
Big Blue Ball is more of a collective than a band, with the final project being completed well over a decade after the majority of the sessions. Back in the '90s (1991, 1992, and 1995 to be exact), Peter Gabriel and Karl Wallinger invited friends and musicians from around the world to participate in weeklong collaborative writing and recording sessions at Real World Studios. The results were then crafted into this album. Overall, the album crosses the globe-trotting multiculturalism of Music and Rhythm (the first WOMAD compilation) with the slick production of Gabriel's Us (released about the same time these sessions took place). Couple the fact that Gabriel's solo work has been increasingly infused with world music beginning with Security and the fact that he's got one of the more recognizable voices in music, and Big Blue Ball almost plays like a lost Peter Gabriel album. This is not meant to diminish the strong contributions of others. Hossam Ramzy and Natacha Atlas take the lead on "Habibe" and Márta Sebestyén, Sinéad O'Connor, Rossy, and Papa Wemba all turn in great vocal performances. Joseph Arthur and Iarla Ó Lionáird's "Altus Silva" actually sounds a bit like Gabriel, and when Arthur joins Gabriel on "Exit Through You," the result could easily be a So outtake. The sound changes a bit at the end of the album, moving from the Peter Gabriel '90s sound to something a bit more 21st century with the Malagasy rap of "Jijy" and the sampled horns of the title track. It's a bit odd that Big Blue Ball was so long in coming, but Peter Gabriel fans will find it was worth the wait.
© Sean Westergaard /TiVo
Details of original recording : Recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios in the summers of 1991, 1992 and 1995
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:59:13
- Main artists: Big Blue Ball
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Real World Records
- Genre: Blues/Country/Folk Country
2008 Real World Records Ltd 2008 Real World Records Ltd
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