Beginnings:
Orchestra Baobab was put together in 1970 as the house band for Club Baobab, a Dakar club which was, in turn, named for the fabled African baobab tree. The band's sound originally incorporated elements of Cuban son and rumba (both wildly popular in West Africa for most of the mid-1900s, and informing the Afro-Latin soukous craze), as well as traditional Wolof griot music and other pan-African influences. With their infectious, unifying, and upbeat sound, they quickly became popular throughout Africa, recording nearly two dozen full-length albums in the '70s and early '80s. Original instrumentation included guitars, drums, bass, and a horn section.
Reformation in the 2000s:
At the urging of Senegal's most popular artist (and Orchestra Baobab fan) Youssou N'Dour, whose rise to fame with his signature mbalax sound had spelled the end of their initial fame, as listeners preferred the modern sound, Orchestra Baobab re-formed in 2001 and found new appreciation among their countrymen, as well as international audiences. They've been touring ever since.
Current Band Members:
Barthelemy Attisso - lead guitar
Balla Sidibe - vocals, timbales, drums
Rudy Gomis - vocals, maracas, claves
Ndiouga Dieng - vocals, congas
Issa Cissoko - saxophone
Latfi Benjeloun - rhythm guitar
Suggested Starter CDs:
Pirates Choice (1982, Remastered in 2002) - Compare Prices
Specialist in All Styles (2002) - Compare Prices
Made in Dakar (2008) - Compare Prices
