Orchestra Baobab performing in Brooklyn, New York, in June 2008.
Background information
Also known as
Gouye Guy de Dakar
Origin
Dakar, Senegal
Genres
Son cubano, Wolof music, Mande music, Afro-Cuban jazz
Years active
1970–1987 2001–present
Labels
Buur Records, Musicafrique, Ledoux, World Circuit
Members
Thierno Koité
Wilfrid Zinsou
Mountaga Koité
Charlie N'Diaye
Oumar Sow
Rene Sowatche
Yakhya Fall
Abdouleye Cissoko
Alpha Dieng
Past members
Balla Sidibé†
Issa Cissoko†
Rudy Gomis†
Baro N'Diaye
Laye M'Boup†
Latfi Benjeloum
Barthélémy Attisso†
Sidath Ly
Medoune Diallo
Ndiouga Dieng†
Thione Seck†
Peter Udo
Papa Ba
Mapenda Seck
Moussa Kane
Website
orchestrabaobab.com
Orchestra Baobab is a Senegalese band established in 1970 as the house band of the Baobab Club in Dakar. Many of the band's original members had previously played with Star Band de Dakar in the 1960s. Directed by timbalero and vocalist Balla Sidibé, the group featured saxophonists Issa Cissoko and Thierno Koité, two singers, two guitarists and a rhythm section with drums, congas and bass guitar. Since their formation, the band has predominantly played a mix of son cubano, Wolof music, and to a lesser extent Mande musical traditions. Following the deaths of Cissoko in 2019 and Sidibé in 2020, Thierno Koité has become the leader of the band.
Orchestra Baobab became one of the dominant African bands of the 1970s, recording 20 albums before their breakup in 1987, which occurred as a result of the increase in popularity of mbalax, a more contemporary genre of Senegalese music. In the years following their disbandment, World Circuit released several of their albums on CD, making the band very popular among world music fans in the UK and the rest of Europe. This prompted their reformation in 2001, which was followed by the recording of a new album, Specialist in All Styles. The group continues to tour extensively and has released two more studio albums, Made in Dakar (2007) and Tribute to Ndiouga Dieng (2017).
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of Senegal's nightspot in the 1950s to 1960s. The Senegalese band OrchestraBaobab plays in a basic salsa style with congas and timbales, but with the...
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salsa, soukous, many West African re-adaptations of Afro-Cuban music (OrchestraBaobab, Africando), Spanish fusion genres (notably with flamenco), and a wide...
credits on Toumani Diabaté, London Symphony Orchestra, Afro-Cuban All Stars, Afel Bocoum, Tony Allen, OrchestraBaobab, Djeli Moussa Diawara, Fatoumata Diawara...
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Global Information