“To describe and explain the birth of Senegalese In the early ‘40s, the presence of US soldiers and service-

modern music I have to go all the way back to the 1920s, men stationed in Dakar, Thiès and St. Louis opened new
a time when four major orchestras dominated the musical horizons. Jazz was crossing the Atlantic from west to east
landscape, namely: and Cuban sailors had brought the Son Montuno, which
spread through West Africa like wildfire.
La Dakaroise in Dakar, While Fidel Castro and Che Guevara were leading their
La Rufisquoise in Rufisque (30 km east of Dakar) revolution, Senegal was dancing to Cuban music. The
La Saint Louisienne in Saint Louis (northern Senegal) French West African Radio antennas were broadcasting
and La Sénégalaise, based on the island of Gorée a rather amazing mixture of French chansons, jazz and
It is largely due to its location at the western point of Africa and history of ethnic (about 3 km off Dakar). Afro-Cuban music. They had a famous series of 250 Afro-
intermingling that Senegal became a musical melting pot. Cuban sailors brought Son Cuban shellac records that covered the period between
In 1930, La Sénégalaise and La Dakaroise merged 1933 and 1958. Great Cuban classics like El manisero
Montuno, Pachanga and other Latin flavours to West Africa, while American soldiers to form La Lyre Africaine, considered by many to be and Guantanemera could be heard in every corner; the
imported quantities of Jazz and soul records - sounds that were swiftly embraced and the country’s first professional brass band. They were whole country was humming.
adopted by urban dance bands, and intuitively merged with local blends. conducted by Amsata Ndiaye, and the governor of Dakar Pressed at low cost for the African market in order to ge-
had loaned them a space in the basement of Sandaga’s nerate local demand - and therefore create new opportu-
One band in particular excelled at this fusion: In partnership with Teranga beat, the leading label market, where they rehearsed. nities for the music industry - these records had a decisive
Le Star Band de Dakar. Their formation in 1960 for Senegalese music, Analog Africa proudly offer an These rehearsals attracted big crowds. The band impact on the direction and development of the music
marks a milestone on the Senegalese musical lands- insight into the extraordinary musical adventures that developed into an influential phenomenon, and Sandaga scene in Senegal. Jazz and Cuban music were adopted
cape, one that left an indelible impression. It wouldn’t took place in Senegal’s main cities throughout the ‘60s grew into the main rehearsal place for many incoming by multiple formations during a very fertile period, which
be an exaggeration to say the entire country grooved and ‘70s musicians. Unfortunately, despite the place being a local saw the birth of the first modern jazz ensembles and the
to their irresistible and intoxicating mixture of Afro This compilation, which contains five songs released landmark in the same way New York has the Cotton Club emergence of professional musician- ship. Joe et ses Boys
Cuban rhythms and Wolof lyrics. for the very first time plus seven more taken from and Paris the Moulin Rouge, the rehearsal room is now a formed in 1952 and Les déménageurs in 1951; the latter -
In the 1970s, traditional percussion instruments obscure vinyl records found in Senegal, reflects the fishmonger’s shop. led by saxophonist Oumar Ndiaye - were the first band to
such Sabar, Tama and Bougarabou started to be mixed unique fusion of Funk, Mbalax, Cuban Son and What is important to remember is that there was at fuse traditional music with Cuban and jazz. But Senegal
in with organs and keyboards, giving birth to new Mandigue guitar sounds that transformed Dakar, West least one orchestra in every regional capital. In those didn’t have a musical identity yet. It didn‘t have roots and
hybrids of Senegalese music. Those sounds, embraced Africa’s most vibrant city. days, Senegalese musicians were mainly civil servants, it was diluted.
by the youth, took centre stage and gave the dominant The transcript below is based on a two-hour inter- self-taught, with skills acquired by performing in local
Cuban music a run for its money. view with legendary radio host and music specialist variety orchestras.
Thanks to that burst of creativity - driven by the Djibril Gaye Gaby, who over the years has interviewed St. Louis, our capital back then, is the only city in the
modern vision of Senghor, Senegal’s first president - countless Senegalese artists, from independence to world to have had the status of triple capital: for Senegal,
Dakar began attracting an array of international stars present times; and who, more importantly, witnessed French West Africa and Mauritania. French West Africa Encouraged by President Senghor’s political idea to
who enjoyed the nightlife, improvised local jam sessions first-hand the birth of modern Senegalese music. at the time was the regional lifeblood, and hosted many gather people around a national identity through music,
and introduced new flavours to a music scene always Here he takes us on a journey through those decades US soldiers who had brought jazz and soul records into culture and arts, Ibra Kassé created Star Band de Dakar in
on the lookout for inspiration. of transformation. the country. 1960 – a pivotal moment for our music scene. The band’s
musicians were recruited mainly from Guinea Jazz, and their
repertoire was at first exclusively dedicated to Afro-Cuban
themes; pachanga, rumba, cha cha cha and also some
Cape Verdean morna and coladera. With the country’s With the formation of a new generation of fantastic
independence that same year, the group began to incorpo- bands such as Le Sahel, Number 1 de Dakar, Orchestra
rate local folklore in their music, and lyrics were gradually Baobab, Dieuf Dieul de Thies and Xalam, traditional
sung in Wolof as well as other vernacular languages. music took centre stage. Most of the guys from these
This slow drift toward the ‘Africanisation’ of the music bands had learned their trade with Star Band de Dakar
saw the introduction of traditional instruments and the and the level of musicianship was high, and competition
creation of Mbalax, the modernisation of our traditional was tough. The audience was becoming more and more
music, within the Star Band. difficult to entertain and it wasn’t enough to play Cuban
That band embodied Senghor’s post-independence classics to satisfy them; something new had to be offered
concept of ‘Négritude’ through the affirmation of a all the time.
musical identity that first occurred with the multiplication Some important bands from The Gambia, espe-
of military orchestras and national competitions, and cially Guelawar, played a role in the modernisation of
would truly materialise in the following decade. our music since they were the first to fuse Folklore with
Independence definitely contributed to the emancipati- organs and keyboards. Senegalese bands followed this
on of Senegalese music, Senghor can be criticised but it is futuristic path, which gave birth to new hybrids of music.
undeniable that he did a lot for the arts through a series of Everything became more folkloric, more original…and
political measures aiming at supporting artistic creation. more crazy. Senghor’s request to go back to the roots was
Orchestras emerged from all corners of the country, taking place.
such as Star Jazz de Saint Louis, which featured renow- Dakar’s nightlife was now attracting superstars such
ned musician Papa Samba Diop, also the owner of Saint as the Jackson Five, James Brown, Tabou Combo (Haiti),
Louis’ hottest club Le Cocotier. You had Pigalle Jazz, Saint Johnny Pacheco (Cuba) and Celia Cruz (Cuba), as well
Louisien Jazz and L’Amical Jazz in Saint Louis, Tropico as an array of African stars like Tabu Ley Rochereau
Jazz and Cayor Rythme in Thiès. You also had Royal (Congo), Manu Dibango (Cameroon), Bembeya Jazz
Band, who were amongst the country´s oldest bands... (Guinée), to name just a few. You could see them enjoying
I could go on and on but it is impossible to be exhaustive. our clubs, where they would often improvise jam sessions.
This ideology peaked with the Festival des Arts Nègres, And since Senegal was always a place open to musical
an ambitious event that took place in 1966. An LP was influences coming from outside, the music of these artists
produced to commemorate the event, mainly comprised was adopted and interpreted by our bands. That’s what
of traditional music and hymns composed by Bira Guèye, the youth wanted and artists had to deliver.
the saxophonist from La Lyre Africaine. He was the very The sad part is that all this creativity was not encou-
first artist to introduce Wolof lyrics into his repertoire. raged by a growing music industry. The reality on the
Senghor’s vision, however, did not imply funding nor ground was a poor choice of producers, mostly amateurs:
financial support for orchestras and most were created on Ndar Disc in Saint Louis, Radio Africaine in Dakar.
a private basis; this explains the incessant coming and go-
ing of musicians, and the short existence of some bands. Luckily we had Ibra Kassé and Moussa Diallo. 5
41 7
 Never destined for a career in the music industry, distant for the liking of the musicians. Everybody was
one has to wonder how Ibra Kassé ended up becoming drinking alcohol, even Ibra Kassé, who always had of
Senegal’s major producer. Kassé had inherited a daring a bottle of whisky in front of him, though I never saw
and avant-gardist personality, and was applauded for his him drunk.
major role in the creation of the music industry in Senegal During work, alcohol was not tolerated; but after
while being simultaneously slammed for the way he dealt work, he didn’t care and anyone could do whatever
with his musicians. Despite his controversial methods, they wanted.
Ibra Kassé has to be considered the most important figure He was known for his rigour though, and if you didn’t
of modern Senegalese music. obey, you were in trouble, If you didn’t play well, he
Kassé was born in Kaolack, into a family of eight kids, would do things like drastically change the volume of
in 1927. As a teenager he managed to stowaway on a your instrument to humiliate you in front of the audience.
ship heading to France, and quickly found some com- Many people were sacked.
patriots who helped him settle down and find work. He Without this discipline he would never have achieved
took one job after another, from cyclist to boxer to music what he did. In that sense, his character took him far.
broadcaster - anything that enabled him to make a living. Kassé formed Senegal’s most prestigious orchestra, an
He married a French lady and together they decided to institution, and keep it going for almost two decades.
return to Dakar and open a restaurant called Le Bon Coin His contribution to Senegalese´s music industry is such
Parisien; that’s when things started to get interesting. The that it earned him the nickname: “The father of modern
restaurant flourished, but to attract more people Kassé Senegalese music”.
decided to form a band with Dakar’s best musicians, On July 27th, 1992. I got news that Ibra Kassé had
including Dexter Johnson, Mady Konaté, Amara Touré died. I took my car and headed as fast as I could to his
and José Ramos - all part of the first generation of artists house. I found his wife and kids, who sadly confirmed
that joined Le Star Band. With the formation of the band, that the old man had just passed away. I rushed to the
on August 3rd, 1960, Kassé changed the name of his res- RTS (Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise) to announce
taurant to Le Miami. his death.
Over the years, Star Band de Dakar became a kind of A day after the funeral, myself and a radio crew went
school for Dakar’s most talented musicians. They would to interview Kassé’s sons. I asked them, “what are you
get the best musical education they could hope for and planning to do now, will you continue the business?”.
developed into stars in their own right. Being a member The grandson wanted to stop while the others wanted
of Star Band de Dakar opened all musical doors, though to honour their father’s work and legacy by continuing.
it wasn’t all milk and honey. That controversy sparked a quarrel. I was holding the
The Miami was set up in a way musicians didn’t like. microphone trying to stop them from fighting on air,
You had the stage, the dancefloor, then the dining area but in vain. It was total chaos and the interview was
with tables and stools, and then finally the bar. Way too never broadcast. 9
 Diallo had learned his trade as a sound engineer at “But the biggest treasure of all is the national radio
Le Miami, then worked for Kassé on numerous impor- station. To have their music broadcasted and generate
tant projects before deciding to put his skills exclusively an audience for live shows, bands would come to the
at the service of his own nightclub, Le Sangomar in studio and record their new tunes on magnetic tapes.
Thiès. He made it the best sounding club in the coun- These tapes were available to us radio show hosts and
try, with a system he had built himself. The acoustic journalists, for use during our programme. If I needed
results spoke for themselves. Diallo’s reputation as a a particular song, I would go to the tape library, get a
musical arranger became legendary, prompting many coupon and pick up the tape, which would be returned
orchestras to travel all the way to Thiès to record their music. after show. You could also ask them to make you a copy.
It also attracted many Dakar youth, who would make You have no idea what treasures are hidden and
the trip to dance to good-sounding music. stored there in the dusty radio archives: the legacy of
The recording equipment was very simple, mainly modern Senegalese music’s golden years.”
a Nagra, but he had excellent ears and the acoustics
at Le Sangomar were fantastic. All the great orchestras
recorded there, not only bands from Senegal but from
neighbouring countries as well. Diallo has left amazing
recordings behind.” Interviews by
The songs Africa, Thiely, Bour Siné, El Carretero Adamantios Kafetzis (2014)
and Ma Penda featured in this compilation have been & Samy Ben Redjeb (2011)
recorded at Le Sangomar by Moussa Diallo.
Much more information about the legendary producer Written by Jennie Loiseau,
can be read in pages 16, 24/25, 27, 32 and 41. September 2015 in Paris

11
 The little apartment I had rented in Le Grand Baobab „I was born into a royal family in the Casamance
neighbourhood was run by a family from the Cape region in 1953. Gifted from a very young age, my
Verde Islands. There was a lot of life in that place: special talent for design led me to Dakar in 1968, where
music, dancing, cooking. The food smelled delicious I success-fully enrolled with the prestigious School of Fine
and before I dared to ask I was offered, for a little extra Arts a year later. Though very notorious, I only attended
something, to share the table with everyone else for the the school program for three months because I disagreed
whole duration of my stay. with their teaching methods and preferred to opt for
I must have been under a lucky star because I had selfeducation. The streets and the city, with its inner
also managed to find some excellent records, which movement, perspective, light, and volume, were my new
I started to divide between the ones I would take cradle and inspiration.
as hand luggage and the ones that would end up I would never miss an exhibition, and I would spend
inside the belly of a gigantic metallic bird. hours in the local markets, watching the wave of stalls
While I was doing that, I realised I was pausing every filled with colourful products. Nature inspired me as much
time I bumped into these psychedelic looking covers to as the urban surroundings. I would also frequently visit
check them out more carefully. All were designed for the library of the French Cultural Institute in Dakar and
the Syllart label and all had the same credit: Djibathien read all about European painters like Dali or Van Gogh,
Sambou. On the back cover was an address for the and about the black American avant-garde scene.
artist, Ville 202 Ouagou, Niayes, Dakar. A few years later, in 1976, I took part in a competition
to design the poster for the 16th African Basketball Cup for
For me personally, It has become difficult to think women, which took place in Dakar. Each country partici-
of Senegalese music without picturing these record pating in the championship had sent their best designer;
covers. These collectors items, seven in total, had by I won that year, and I won it again in 1980. Back then
now reached legendary status and I was curious to I was very active, making a lot of posters and logos.
see if that address would direct me to the man himself. Many were related to sports, such as the logo I created for
I jumped into a taxi, showed the address to the driver, the African Sports Association in 1977. I also did illustra-
who to my surprise started driving, seemingly knowing tions for books containing works by various African poets.
where he was going. In 1978, a friend of mine named Ibrahima Sory Sylla
We found the house but were told that Sambou had started a new company, Syllart Production, and asked
recently moved to another place. We were given ano- me to design the LP covers for his first release. I followed
ther possible location and searched for a good hour, but him despite the absence of a pay check, knowing I would
no lucky star this time. I left Senegal the same evening. get paid as soon as he started to sell his records. I started
by designing Syllart’s logo, the famous treble clef.
Two years later, after I had already forgotten about it, My artistic career within Syllart Records started
I received a message, from Adamantios, founder of the with a bang. The first cover I designed for them was
Teranga Beat Label: “I found him!” Orchestra Baobab’s “Mouhamadou Bamba” LP, an
artwork that passed from hand to hand all over record, both of them in black and white, for which
Senegal, Africa and even other continents. From the streets I adopted a new technique. The title of the album was
of Dakar to the world. Diabar which means Wife, in a polygamous sense.
I was very young at that time so this release turned out I therefore tried to picture a man with his wives and
to be an extra- ordinarily emotional moment for me, from their kids underneath, expressing how anguished they are,
which I gained a lot of confidence. The music lover that in a simple way with a black background and a circle
I am surely appreciated these years, and drawing these to symbolise mystery.
covers gave me access to countless very restrictive places, Then another cover for Orchestra Baobab followed
where I joined the privileged few who could preview - Gouye Gui, meaning Baobab in Wolof. I drew all the
and discover unreleased music as it was being recorded members of the group with pen and ink - a masterpiece!
by legends. We even had a poster made from the cover. This is by far
For Orchestra Baobab’s cover, I had the immense my favourite of all the album covers I’ve done and reflects
opportunity and privilege to attend the recording session my best work. From then on, my reputation went beyond
at Golden Baobab Studio. Such a close approach to their all expectations and orders redoubled.
music fed the inspiration that led to the cover: a huge Orders started to come from across the border, all the
Baobab tree containing the great mosque of Touba, with way from Nigeria. I got hired to design a cover for Fela
eyes as roots. Anikulapo Kuti. I can’t remember which label it was, but
I then drew the cover of Tasito for the Guelawar band they wanted a montage depicting the Kalakuta Repub-
of Banjul. They came from the Gambia and revolutionised lic incident where a hundred soldiers had attacked and
Senegalese Music by including traditional percussion burned Fela’s home.
instruments into modern music. I believe I revolutionised the art of LP covers in Senegal.
The word Tasito means „Tighten your belt and go to When I started, LP covers were very basic. I got inspired
work“, so I designed a young man standing on a globe by big American labels such as Stax and Tamla Motown.
ready to fight, as in fighting for the youth. For this album, I “Africanised” their style and it became my own, making
I didn‘t attend the recording, but they gave me a tape in me part of the modernisation of our music movement.
order to listen to the music and get inspired. It is fascinating to immortalise the inspiration of
Ouza et Ses Ouzettes was the next band I worked musicians on a cover that becomes so timeless it is
with, designing the LP cover for Lat Dior. I became almost immortal”
very close to Ouza. There was also a track on the album
dedicated to Senegalese national hero Lat Dior, so Introduction by Samy Ben Redjeb,
I decided to pay him a tribute to by immortalising him Interview by Adamantios Kafetzis
on the front cover. May 14, 2013 in Ouagou Niayes, Dakar
Gëstu De Dakar was a band comprised of young
musicians living in Gibraltar, a neighbourhood near
Centenaire in Dakar. They were very close to Orchestre
Bawobab’s members.
In 1980 Sylla invited them to record an album. I did
the cover the very same week I did a cover for Baobab’s Syllart Records, distributed by [Link] 15
 The meeting with Max, singer and percussionist of Mali and Guinéa and is therefore part of our African
Fangóól, took place in his home in Dakar. Max’s voice heritage. And that’s why we picked it and added our very
is as deep and sonorous as on the record and perfectly own touch.
in proportion to his body size. He spoke proudly about We released the album in 1979 and the launch party
his birthplace La Medina, a quarter known for its was organised in Versailles. Most had put their money
musicality, and which nurtured a good number of on another song from the album, but it was Mariama
Dakar’s most popular singers. that became the most popular. In the studio, listening to it
after the recording, I immediately understood how special
“The band Fangóól started in Paris. We all used to it was, so I was not too surprised.
go to the same bar, Chez Le Polonais, in the 19th arron- The reggae influence on Mariama comes from our
dissement. From 9pm until 2am we would gather there keyboard player, Patrice Domuja, a reggaeman of mixed
and perform along with Elhadji Thiam, guitarist of Su- race, from Martinique or Guadeloupe. But the arrange-
per Diamono. ments were all made by Pap Camara, our Senegalese
The bar’s customers would groove and dance, and it saxophone and clarinet player. The band was very cos-
was they who suggested we create a band. So Fangóól mopolitan with musicians from Senegal, Benin, Uruguay
was founded in 1978 from a group of close friends. Our and Martinique…
strength was our natural way of performing; we were We soon became a well-respected band - so popular
not big stars with big egos, it was all about the friend- that musicians touring in Paris would call us to perform
ship. We would eat together after the shows. We were with them. Youssou N’dour, Thione Seck and Ismael Lô
like family. count amongst the many who hired us.
We met Richard Dick, a producer from Cameroon Unfortunately, things started to go downhill when we
who was based on the boulevard St Germain. He had began touring Europe. We played everywhere in Amster-
heard our demo tape and asked us to sign with him. We dam, including Club Paradiso, and got invited to perform
agreed that he would produce the album and release it on Belgian television. Popularity finally spoilt the very
on his label, but that we would finance it and keep the core of our band; it was not about friendship anymore but
rights to the recordings. That was the deal. At the time, business. Fangóól finally ended in 1981.“
things were done in an informal way and no contract
was ever signed.
Despite rehearsing these songs for about a year, main-
ly during live gigs, the recordings took us four days inclu-
ding a whole day just for Mariama.
The original chords for that song were taken from tra-
ditional music and the band took hours trying to repro-
duce the kora sound on the keyboard, searching for the
African scale, the ‘Kant’ scale. Mariama, about a beautiful
woman, is a ‘universal’ song in the sense that it doesn’t Introduction and interview by Samy Ben Redjeb
belong to Senegal only. It is also a traditional song in December 21, 2011 in Dakar
17
19
 Aly Penda, the iconic trumpet player and founder of For our second meeting I printed the contracts for I stopped reading. Aly has been a musician for 50 I stayed for few years, until 1971. Between 1971 and
Orchestre G.M.I was one of the first musicians I met in the song Africa and - as is the custom in my country years and couldn’t care less about what is printed on a 1975, I performed with Star Band de Dakar, Number one
Dakar. During our first meeting, I showed him the list of of birth - made some Tunisian tea. “This is a very nice piece of paper. He made sure I sensed that. We signed de Dakar and finally with Tropical Jazz de Dakar. During
the musicians I needed to locate in order to create this tea,” commented Aly. I started reading the contract, the license, I gave him the envelope and then asked those years I was living in Thiés, in the barracks of the po-
project. He checked the list and said “I know this guy from translating one paragraph after another, when he him to share his story with us. “Ok,” he said...“but let’s lice force, and from time to time I participated in theatrical
my time at Tropical Jazz, these two from Orchestra Baobab, suddenly added, “Man, where did you get this tea make some more tea first!” performances organised by the police. The Minister of the
this is my band and I also know most of the others. I am from? Its really good!” I was trying to stay focused and Interior, who attended one of these plays, came to see me
not sure where they are, but don’t worry we’ll find them”. continue reading the document, which I must admit “The first time I saw Dexter Johnson perform,” he began, after the show and asked if I could create an orchestra
A few days later, Aly returned with a few phone numbers sounded like a political speech, when he interrupted “was during the World Festival of Black Arts in Dakar that would match the reputation of the police force. I said
and the ball was rolling. He became the mascot of this again, with a smile. “Listen, I don’t think you are going back in 1966. His reputation was considerable. Dexter yes. During all these years I was moving from one band
project and was always available when needed. to travel back with this tea…” was one of the founding members of Star Band de Dakar to another, travelling every night to go and perform and
- formed by Miami nightclub owner Ibra Kassé - and he I was ready for something more stable.
played with the orchestra until its first formation split up. I had supplied the Minister with a list of instruments nee-
It didn’t take long for Dexter to found his own band, ded: a Yamaha drum kit, a Fender jazz bass, percussion
which he called Super Star Band de Dakar. When the time instruments, 2 electric guitars, 2 Fender amplifiers, Eko
came to recruit a trumpet player, he chose Laye Thiam, guitars with pedals, an alto sax and a lot of accessories.
also a former member of the Star Band de Dakar and I recruited musicians amongst the police quarters as
way more experienced and talented than many of his con- well as civilians and called the band Orchestre G.M.I
temporaries. But Thiam and Dexter did not get along. So which stands for Groupement Mobile D‘ Intervention
Dexter asked his pianist if he knew a trumpet player that (Police Intervention group).
could replace him - and that’s when my name surfaced. GMI started in 1976 and was composed of Ousma-
I lived outside of Dakar at that time, in an area called ne Gaye (percussion), Babacar Fall (lead vocal), Cissé
Pikine, and Dexter had sent his pianist to come and get Mamadou (lead guitar), Mandiou N’diaye (guitar),
me. We arrived and were told that Dexter had gone to the Pape Demba Diop (sax) and myself on trumpet. All
market with his wife. The musicians didn’t waste time; these musicians play on Africa, a tune sung in khas-
they played me a tune on a turntable and asking me to sonké and wolof.
transcribe the trumpet parts. I was studiously working on I had asked permission to do a recording and my
that when Dexter finally arrived. He was behind me and superiors agreed. They lent us a truck, which we loaded
had signalled to the musicians not to mention his arrival. with all the instruments and drove to meet with sound
I was playing and writing everything down while Dexter engineer Moussa Diallo. We set up all the equipment in
stayed in the corner, listening to what I was doing. his Sangomar club and recorded 12 tracks in one day,
I felt somebody behind me, and when I turned around including Africa – all live and without an audience.
I recognised Dexter immediately. I was obviously very None of these songs were ever released.“
impressed but was told to keep the transcription going.
Once I finished, the verdict fell; Dexter told the musicians
that there was no need to keep on looking, he had found Introduction and Interview
his trumpeter. That’s how I became a member of the by Samy Ben Redjeb
Super Star Band in 1968. January 28, 2012 in Dakar 21
 Orchestre Bawobab (or Baobab), one of the despite the little equipment I had. Funnily, my mother, received an offer from an influential Minister. That
continent’s greatest bands, has been a favourite of who had forbidden me to play music, later became my offer consisted in helping with the creation of a new
mine for as long as I have been collecting African strongest supporter; she bought my first amplifier. band and the financing of the instruments; all parties
records. To have one unreleased track by the group I created my first band, The Royal Eagle, in 1964. agreed and formed Orchestre Baobab.
would have been a sensation… to have two is a dream We played mainly Congolese and Guinean music, styles I stayed a bit longer with Kassé, who was like a
come true. that made me happy. But what we loved most was Afro- father to me, but things were not going so well in the
Barthélémy Attisso, the lead guitarist, is especially Cuban music. Producer Ibra Kassé heard me singing new formation. Despite my potential, I only played a
responsible for my addition to African music. Listen Cuban classics and spontaneously invited me to join Le bit-part in the orchestra and eventually, out of frustration,
to what he does on the track Ma Penda and you Star Band de Dakar. I asked to join Orchestra Baobab in 1970.
will understand why - it is true, you really can hit To me, these guys were legends, the “old salts” of the I sang Thiely for the first time at a festival in Tunis
someone with music. music industry. Can you imagine how intimidated I was in 1972, and later recorded it with Moussa Diallo at the
Thiely, the other unreleased Bawobab track is at the idea of performing with these guys? Laba Sosseh Sangomar in Thiès. The original song is by the legenda-
originally by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico and new- had just left and was replaced by Pape Seck, the lead ry Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, but we made our own
ly arranged by legendary singer Medioune Diallo. vocalist. I became the second vocalist. arrangements. The second singer on the song is Thione
How many people have been hypnotised by his Then an event occurred that led to the dissolution of Seck, who was still a teenager at the time.
wonderful quranic voice? Nobody knows for sure! Star Band and the creation of two separate orchestras, I like performing that tune a lot, but the one I loved
We´ve met with Medioune in his house in Dakar Number One and Orchestra Baobab. Star Band got in- most was a song called Gouy Gui. It means baobab in
to find out more: vited to perform at some kind of Miss Kaolack elections, Wolof and the reason why it’s so special to me is be-
and straight after the show our boss Ibra Kassé came cause its success crossed borders into Guinea and Mali.
“I was not destined to play music and become an to tell us that we performed poorly. He left for Dakar, People go crazy when I sing this song in those countries;
artist,” he says. “I come from a Torodo family and a fuming, and left us stranded in Kaolack. On their way the crowds almost faint.
Torodo is not allowed to play music - only Griots are. back, the senior musicians of the Star Band confronted I still have the same voice I had years ago. It’s a gift
Despite this, I used to violate the rule and managed to Kassé, who - outrageously - ended up firing them all. from God and I am not the kind of artist to prostitute
play from time to time - until I won my first competition. While the ‘rebels’ ended up forming the excellent myself musically. I keep my voice for what is worth.”
Somebody proudly ran home to tell my mother I had Number 1 de Dakar, I opted to stay with Kassé who
won a singing contest and when I arrived home, loaded wasted no time in recruiting some high caliber repla-
with the gifts I had received, all hell broke loose. I can cements. Balla Sidibé, Barthélémy Attisso and Ruddy
clearly recall the presents flying through the room, being Gomis came from a band called Standard to form the
shredded to ashes - including even my guitar. But this new Star Band. That band didn’t last too long though, Introduction and Interview by Samy Ben Redjeb
episode only spurred me on to create my own band, because shortly after its formation the musicians December 15, 2011 in Dakar 25
 In 2009, Adamantios Kafetzis travelled from Greece to as Youssou N’Dour was looking for musicians that could
Senegal with a brand new tape machine which he would play traditional music and lured some of the band away.
use to digitise the treasures he had discovered in Thiés. That was the end of the first generation.
These treasures, which took the form of reel tapes, had I decided not to cry over spilled milk and started
been recorded by sound engineer Moussa Diallo. Over searching for replacements. I was lucky because each
four decades, Diallo had immortalised, on magnetic musician I found brought his own style and repertoire
tape, the bands that would later perform in his club to the band. Eric was into soul and rhythm ’n’ blues,
Le Sangomar, the best-sounding venue in the country. Bernard was specialised in Afro Cuban and Latin music
I met Adamantios in Athens after his trip and asked and Magot Ndiama had dedicated his life to traditional
him, casually, if he would give me the songs he had music. Since the best way to learn is by doing, we started
brought back from Africa. To my surprise he agreed participating in the many music competitions that were
and gave me high quality files of most of the music he then taking place throughout Senegal and organised by
had found. I returned home with 224 senegalese songs the Ministry of Culture.
that nobody had ever heard before, five of which have First was the pre-selection, made through regional
been selected for this compilation - including the Funky competitions, whose winners could take part in the main
Mbalax tune Bour Siné. national competition. We improved greatly due to all
We managed to locate the song’s composer, these shows and could easily compete with Dakar’s
Sam Vito, bass player of Saourouba de Louga, who bands. They were playing mostly Cuban music or salsa,
travelled for three hours, all the way from Louga to whereas we had started playing a mixture of traditional
Dakar, to meet us. music and the styles that were popular in the ‘70s.
We won twice and in 1974 got invited to perform in
“The first generation of the Saourouba de Louga Mauritania. From there we continued to The Gambia
goes back to 1967. At the time, we were an orchestra of where we stayed until our return to Louga in 1977.
‘variety’ and had forgotten about our traditional folklore. We had become a very solid band and got invited to
We would do covers of Otis Redding, James Brown, and performed at Le Sangomar by Moussa Diallo in 1980.
play some salsa; everything except traditional music. Quadraphonic sound had just come out and he owned a
Back then Cuban music dominated the Senegalese brand new system - the best in the country. The acoustics
musical scene, which can be explained by the fact that no were so good there that we decided to make it our perma-
music was being produced in Senegal at the time due to nent base; the band settled in Thiés.
a lack of financial means and infrastructure. The closest Diallo knew his stuff, he was the best sound engineer
music to ours was Cuban, so that’s what we listened to in the country. So the day he made the offer to record
and played. an album with us, we did not hesitate. We selected
That is until the day the father of our guitarist Cheick six songs that were recorded on June 13, 1984, at the
Kanté said to us: “it’s nice what you are doing but why Sangomar, including the track Bour Siné, which in Serer
don’t you play your own music, your own folklore, and means King of Siné.“
revamp your repertoire?”. His advice struck a chord with
us and we all followed it. That’s when it really started to Introduction and interview by Samy Ben Redjeb,
happen for us, but unfortunately success was short-lived Dakar, December 28th, 2011
 This song has reached legendary status long before A few days continue for another few days. We
being released. The infectious Boom Bo Boom, Ha Ha later I was on a didn’t have money and were looking for
Ha has since travelled the world, setting fire to a many bus heading to Dakar. any opportunity to earn a little something. Our
tropical party and becoming a favourite tune with Despite laughing at my skinny, first stop in Mali was Kaye. The newly elected Malian
the picos, the sound system of Colombia’s Caribbean shy figure, Dexter was impressed. I had President Moussa Traoré arrived the exact same day, a coin-
coast. It even helped one of them win an important spent a decade performing Cuban tunes with cidence that brought us into the celebration thrown in his honour.
music contest held in the city of Barranquilla in 2013. various bands, and knew Laba’s repertoire very well. Then we stopped in Bamako where we met a manager called Diabaté who
I discovered this record in Cotonou during my first From Arsenio Rodriguez’s songs to La Sitiera and La offered us a three-week contract to tour most of the clubs there. The trip was
trip there in 2005, and only found out a few years later Bicicleta I knew them all, and gained the right to share long but very rewarding.
that the singer and arranger was from Senegal - the the stage of A L’Etoile club. We finally reached Abidjan and were invited onto national TV to officially
country I travelled to in December 2011 to prepare this Six months after I joined announce our arrival. President Felix Houphouet Boigny, who was watching the
very compilation. Super Star de Dakar, the band program, called the channel and ordered to let us play live - which we did for more
I was staying at Le Grand Baobab, a quarter named had to move to Abidjan, the than three hours straight. Let me tell you that this event marked a milestone in our
after a colossal Baobab tree rooted in the middle of a capital city of the Ivory Coast, career. It helped me gain confidence and gradually brought my style and repertoire
residential area. All the taxi drivers of Dakar know that a trip that prompted some into the band. We became the number one orchestra for Afro-Cuban music in the
tree, which makes it very easy to make appointments controversy. Ivory Coast and were performing twice a week on national television.
with record dealers, producers and musicians alike. A producer had send us a I stayed with Super Star de Dakar for a few glorious years and then decided
My first impression of King N‘Gom is that he was a proposition for a contract in in 1973 to join Djiki International, a band that was about to go on tour around
very accurate man because he parked his car exactly Cote D’Ivoire. That proposal Africa. We arrived in Benin and really hit it off with the public there. Our music blew
under our meeting point: the tree. He was on his way had arrived in Laba Sosseh’s them away so we stayed in Cotonou for three magical years. Everything was going
to the city of Kaolack where he was building a guest- hands who quickly managed to smoothly and perfectly until I got very ill and the band had to move on without me.
house and had spontaneously decided to come and convince some other musicians I got a little better and arranged two songs which I wanted to immortalise -
see me. We spoke about the project for 10 minutes and to follow him - overnight, he but I had no band. So I started checking the clubs for potential groups. Orchestre
rapidly agreed terms. The contract was signed on the was gone. A few months later, Poly-Rythmo were enjoying immense success but they were deeply into Beninese
roof of his car, under the gargantuan baobab tree, in news reached us that Laba folklore, while I was looking for a band more oriented towards Afro-Cuban rhythms.
the middle of a clear night. Life Is only as complicated was in Abidjan and perfor- That’s when fate brought me onto Les Perles Noires’s path. I thought they were
as we make it! ming under the name of our excellent and asked them if they would be interested in backing me. They accepted,
Since his wife was impatiently sitting in the car and band. Dexter was fuming and and at the end of 1976 we went to the Satel Studios in Cotonou.
waiting to hit the road, we decided to meet again later to immediately packed his bags Viva Marvillas and Mbakham Diop, although I was seriously ill when they
do the interview, which was conducted by Adamantios and travelled with the whole were recorded, became very successful. I then left Cotonou to join my sister in Ghana
from the Teranga Beat label. band to reveal the truth. But to continue treatment, finally returning to Senegal in late 1977 after the death
the most interesting about this of my father.”
“It is 1968 and Dexter Johnson is desperately looking story is the journey to get there.
for a talented singer to replace Laba Sosseh who has just It was epic...
left Super Star de Dakar. He had heard about me through To reach Abidjan in those Introduction by Samy Ben Redjeb
his in-laws from Kaolack, the city where I was living, and days you had to first travel Interview by Adamantios Kafetzis
sent a message asking me to come. to Bamako by train and then May 29, 2013 in Dakar
29
 Senegal’s list of high quality brass players includes standout names like Dexter Johnson, Mady Konate and
Aly Penda who excelled during the heyday of Afro-Cuban music in West Africa. People were lining up in front
of the nightclub doors to listen and dance to their soaring solos, which left audiences awestruck.
Abdoulaye Thiam aka Laye Thiam is arguably one of the best trumpet players in Senegal and stands out
from his colleagues by the fact that he was the first and only such player to release LPs under his own name.
His childhood friends Aly Penda (Tropical Jazz) and Pape Diallo (Star Band) kindly shared with us the
story of one of Senegal’s most talented musicians:

Aly Penda: The first LP was recorded in 1971 or ‘72. At the

“Born in Congo Brazzaville to a Senegalese father time there were no proper recording studios except the
and Congolese mother, Laye Thiam arrived in Senegal national radio’s facilities and that’s where the
at an early age. We were both young boys working recording was made. It was music of a different kind,
as mechanics in a garage owned by Doudou Seye, a combining funk, traditional beats and the sounds of
renowned bugle player. After each long working day, Laye Thiam’s soulful trumpet. The arrangements were
he would ask us to follow him to the Sandaga Market very modern and I was impressed by Massani Cissé in
basement, the rehearsal room of Lyre Africaine where particular, one of Senegal’s most popular traditional
we would practice horn instruments and learn music ongs. It is dedicated to a legend dating back to
theory. It was the best school you could hope for. oundiata Keïta’s kingdom and a theme that was
Laye then enrolled in the military, where he enri- transmitted from one generation to another by griots.
ched his musical training as a member of the military “Massani Cissé was adopted as an official indepen-
national orchestra under the order of Jean Avignon, dence anthem and even figures on the record that was
co-composer of the national Senegalese anthem with released in memory to the Festival des Arts Negres
President Senghor. When you performed under mili- celebrations held in Dakar in 1966.
tary orders for official ceremonies, you could not mess “The second LP was released around 1974, the
up: perfection was demanded for every single perfor- year Thiam left for the Congo and I heard he had no
mance. That explains his very neat playing and unique trouble gaining success there as well, to such an ex-
way of mastering solos.” tent that he got hired for the orchestra accompanying
James Brown during the phenomenal concert he gave
Pape Diallo: in Kinshasa in 1974.
“The turning point for Thiam came when he joined Last I heard he was in Spain, pursuing his career
Star Band de Dakar in 1965. He stayed with the band under the name King Laye. He was so emblema-
for five years, until the early ‘70s and then decided to re- tic; he was to Senegal what Georges Jouvin was to
cruit some musicians to create his own band, Orchestre France.”
Laye Thiam. Some guys were from the Congo, others
from Guinea and the Antilles - it was a very eclectic Introduction and interviews by Jennie Loiseau
group of people. 30 May, 2015 in Paris
 Senegal’s most significant and influential orchestra - would then be broadcasted. Copies of the recordings
one that featured an inexhaustible array of musicians would then be sent to the local branches of the national
and nurtured a whole range of Senegalese groups in radio station in Saint Louis, Kaolack and so on.
the ´60s and ´70s - Star Band de Dakar had a pro- El carretero was recorded that way, in the mid ‘60s
found influence on modern Senegalese music. House with Le Star Band’s first generation of musicians, a
band of the Miami nightclub, the place of all meetings prestigious musical cast! You can hear the thriving
and all adventures, Star Band de Dakar counted such accuracy of this rendition via this crème de la crème of
musical luminaries among its ranks as Dexter Johnson, Dakar’s music scene: Harrisson on the bass, Amadou Tall
José Ramos, Laba Sosseh, Pape Seck, Rudy Gomis, aka Lynx Tall on the drums, José Ramos on rhythm gui-
Balla Sidibe, Barthélémy Attiso, Thione Seck, Pape tar and Sidate Ly on lead guitar; Mady Konaté and Dex-
Fall and Youssou N‘Dour - all of whom would later ter Johnson on the sax and Bob Armstrong on trumpet.
move on to become stars, in their own right. Most of them, whether coming from the conservatory or
Many are the people who remember having danced not, knew how to write and arrange music.
to the band’s playlist, which was built around a core Amara Touré, lead singer and timbales, on the other
of Afro Cuban classics and superbly interpreted by hand had learned everything intuitively, or as we say
some of Senegal’s most acclaimed salseros, including here, ‘by ear’. He was seconded by backing vocalist
the enigmatic Amara Touré. Of Guinean origins, Mabousso Mbaye. They also had a lead singer for more
Touré was one of the very first musicians to join Le Star traditional songs named Birame Yacine, who had a wide
Band, quickly imposing his own style and interpreta- repertoire of traditional Wolof songs that we like to call
tions. This version of “El carretero”, discovered in Thies Tiere diambar, meaning couscous of the braves.
by Adamantios Kafetzis, was never released. Little is The musicians were of various origins, and their
known about the circumstances of the recording, and respective influences contributed to the richness and
most musicians we asked about it could barely lift the diversity of the music. They were the ones suggesting
veil. Luckily we ended up talking to singer Pape Diallo, songs for their gigs. If the tune was unanimously accep-
a former member of Star Band de Dakar, who helped ted and got Kassé’s approval, then it would make it onto
us discover the story behind this unreleased song. the set list. El carretero might have been Touré’s choice.
He was a very discrete and humble man but his passion
“The song El carretero is a Cuban classic and many and love for Afro Cuban music was well known.
bands had it in their repertoire. Amara Touré gave it a At the time musicians would go from one band to the
different arrangement, more pachanga orientated, which other, formations would change, new bands would get
makes it unique. That’s what makes Cuban music so created. Le Star Band de Dakar formed in 1960, drawing
interesting - you can play around with its numerous vari- in an impressive string of musicians that were each as ta-
ations, limitlessly tapping into its different rhythms. lented as the other until the mid ‘70s, when it finally came
There were no studios in Dakar back then, and most to an end. Le Star Band’s dissolution gave birth to Orchest-
of the recordings were made by the National Radio, who ra Bawobab and Number 1 de Dakar, to name just a few.”
had built a movable and rather poorly equipped mobile
studio in the back of a Renault Goelette truck. They would Introduction and Interview by Jennie Loiseau
drive to various locations and record live sessions, which May 30, 2015 in Paris 33
 Tropical Jazz de Dakar was the brainchild of Mady On stage there was always something exciting going
Konaté - a highly respected musical director who on and you never knew what was going to happen next.
personally handpicked some of Dakar´s best Mady, as a prodigy flute, tenor and alto sax player,
musicians to form a kind of All Star outfit. made a point of shaping a first-class horn section and
We met with Tropical Jazz singer Pape Diallo, brought in the excellent Guinean bass player John Ozi-
who shared the history of the band with us: la, whose talent attracted a good crowd. Various singers
shared the repertoire, which was distributed according
“I joined Le Star Band de Dakar as their lead singer to our respective scales and to the language we spoke.
in 1966-67. My arrival coincided with the departure of Khalifa Fall (the lead singer on Kiko Medina) spoke
Amara Touré, who was about to leave the group. We Spanish well and sang all the Cuban songs. We also
sang together for about two months, just enough time performed Guinean and Senegalese folklore.
for me to learn the repertoire. It was very challenging The Minister of Culture, Amadou Racine Ndiaye
and only Amara could sing some of the tracks. himself, encouraged us to honour and showcase our
I performed every night at Le Miami for two years musical heritage. The reason for our success was due
until our band leader Mady Konaté broke his hand, to the fact that we played many different styles of
preventing him from honouring his contract. He got music - Pachanga, Biguine, Morna and Coladera,
replaced and lost his job. Merengue, Mbalax. That versatility earned us a contract
He recovered rapidly and asked me if I would help with the prestigious and glamorous Moulin Rouge, from
him create a new band; I did not hesitate. Four musici- where we moved to Le Balafon, staying for two years,
ans from Star Band de Dakar had heard about Mady’s until 1973.
project and joined us immediately: guitarist Sidat Around 1980 some people came to see us with a
Ly, trumpet player Aly Penda, vocalist Lynx Tall and Revox recording machine. They were from the national
folklore singer Birame Yacine. This is how Tropical Jazz radio station and said that they would record our show.
de Dakar was born in 1969. Kiko Medina was part of that recording session.”
Mady had started his career with Le Tropico, an
orchestra performing at Cabane Bambou, one of the
oldest cabarets in Senegal during colonial times. He
became an extremely disciplined musician and conductor Introduction and interview
with an exemplary ethic. He taught us to be more by Adamantios Kafetzis
flexible, to exchange instruments during shows. May 22, 2013 in Dakar.
35
37
 Senegalese musician to be able to practice on a decent was a once in a lifetime opportunity that would give us The reason was mainly financial: we were not earning
instrument. I was privileged. Additionally, Barthélemy some recognition, help us improve as musicians, and money from our gigs in Ngalam and the conditions
Attisso, the guitarist extraordinaire of Orchestre Bao- give us the opportunity to use their excellent sound sys- were tough, including having to walk the two kilome-
bab, took me under his wing and showed me how to tem. We immediately agreed - as did our parents, well tres separating the club from our home and back. The
improve my skills.” aware of the unique chance that was given to us. band did not last long but we were at least like no
Ass paused for a minute, seemingly enjoying Orchestra Baobab played daily from midnight to 4 other. A beautiful story without a happy end - ut thank-
his memories as a young musician in the making, am, and we opened for the club every Wednesday and fully it was not an actual end since we all managed
allowing Tidiane to complete the story of Gestu. Thursday. This lasted for two years and was a very brilliant careers.”
The wonderful solo of master guitarist Ass Diouf, ”Our first gig took place on December 31, 1978 in rewarding and productive period during which we all
the bittersweet yet powerful vocals of Tidiane Bathily, a club called Palladium. The daughter of the club’s di- learned a lot from our mentors. I personally learned a
and the heavy Senegalese folklore roaring under- rector was a friend of the group; she regularly attended great deal about the technical aspects of my voice. This
neath Ndiourel is the reason this track hasn’t left my our rehearsals and had recommended the band. She influence did not affect the very core of our music, but
playlist for a decade. must have been quite persuasive because we received it did help us shape it in the most perfect way. Introduction by Samy Ben Redjeb
Although this project only started after a meeting an invitation for a trial gig shortly afterwards. The After those two rich years sharing the stage with Interview by Adamantios Kafetzis
with the good people from Teranga Beat, I always director listened and instantly hired us to perform at Orchestra Baobab, Gëstu de Dakar sadly disbanded. May 17, 2013 in Dakar
had it in the back of my mind that one day I would a New Year‘s Eve’s celebration. The venue was packed
try to release it. It was just a question of time - and and the audience celebrated and danced throughout
that time has come. the night - that’s how we become the permanent house
We had a meeting with vocalist and composer band of the club.
Tidiane Bathily who brought along the founder of The dream, however, did not last long. Our parents
the band, Ass Diouf, to start the conversation. did not allow us to play music, at night, at such a
young age anymore. They were worried every time we
“We were all friends from La Medina, a very popular performed and asked us to stop. But the short time
neighbourhood in Dakar and we all went to the same we performed at Palladium was enough to leave a
primary school. In 1977, mainly to kill time, I decided good impression and attract the attention of producer
to form a band with them, which I named Gëstu de Ibrahima Sylla. He came to see us after a show and
Dakar. I created a handmade guitar, our percussionist said that he would be interested in recording an album
was tapping on wooden stools, or anything that would with us, which we agreed to. The recording sessions
imitate a beat, and we started toying around. We were to our LP Diabar took place in 1980 at the Golden
lacking pretty much everything normally required to Baobab studios.
qualify as a proper band. Some members of Orchestra Baobab had passed by
Things started to improve when I finished my studies the studio one night and were impressed by our sound.
and decided, at 17, to enlist in the School of Fine Arts They started asking Sylla a bunch of questions regar-
and become a professional guitarist. Progress was fast ding our situation, whether we were tied to any club
and I soon found myself conducting and arranging the or not. Sylla replied that we were free as birds. They
songs for the band. I was one of the few kids who had waited until the end of the recording sessions to have a
a guitar in the house, which was actually the property chat, then said they wanted us to be the regular ope-
of my older brother. In those days it was rare for a ning act for their gigs at Le Ngalam nightclub. This 39
Tidiane Bathily (2nd from Left) and Ass Diouf (5th from the Left)
 Adamantios Kafetzis had arranged a meeting with my voice and took me under his wing. I used to visit him
Thione Seck, former singer of Orchestre Bawobab, two or three times per week. He became instrumental for
now a Senegalese superstar. We arrived at the gate of my career, and in 1973 introduced me to the legendary
his „castle“ and were asked to come in. The first thing Star Band, which was a milestone. A year later, aged 18,
I noticed was a mega portrait of the man himself, han- I joined Orchestre Bawobab.
ging in the hall. We then proceeded to the immense I was still very young, and the year I had with the Star
living room where Mr. Seck, sitting conformably in his Band was a very important musical formation. I had
leather sofa, was watching the news on a huge flat screen. learned to compose, which boosted my confidence. My
I understood immediately that negotiations were not first composition, “Sey”, recorded for the album Guy Gui
going to be easy. Rey Gi in 1975, became a huge hit. It pushed me and
We introduced ourselves and Adamantios quickly encouraged me to continue composing.
explained that he had discovered a reel containing I wrote the tune you want, Ma Penda, for a fan of the
unreleased songs by Orchestre Bawobab and that we band, Ma Penda Baye, auditor of the national treasury.
had come to try and discuss a deal. He listened to our He was always available, always kind, always helping
proposal and said: „Come on gentlemen, at least offer people whenever he could... Ma Penda was a different
me something with which I can solve a problem“, a sen- kind of person. A song had to be written for him, I thought.
tence he keep repeating throughout the talk. Ma Penda was recorded in 1978 and released on the
album Une Nuit Au Jandeer. People keep telling me it’s
„If I don‘t give you the license for that recording, what an Afrobeat track but to me it’s a song that includes three
would you do?” he asked. „We would not release it,“ different rhythms, a Bawobab creation.
we replied. „Nooo! that’s not a solution either,” he ex- I had forgotten about the other version you guys found
claimed. He thought for a bit and said: “It’s late, let me the other day but now I can recall that we were invited to
think about it. Call me in a few days and I will give you perform at Moussa Diallo’s club in Thiès and that we had
a response“. recorded some stuff prior to the concert. Was “Ma Pen-
I called him three days later and his first sentence da” recorded that day? Probably yes. Did we record both
was, „I am at home, where are you? Come now!“ We sat versions during that session? Probably not.
down, sorted out the deal and this is the interview that I was also heavily involved with my family’s traditional
followed. band. I never really liked the idea of being attached to one
I was just 14 years old when Laye Mboup, the lead particular band. I preferred the idea of being an indepen-
singer of Orchestre Bawobab, noticed me. It was in 1969 dent artist, free to wander from one project to another,
during a traditional music event at the Demba Diop without constraints. So when in 1980, out of the blue, the
stadium during the Jeanne D’Arc night, a popular event. band leader of Bawobab asked me to choose between the
All the great folkloric groups of the time were perfor- band or the family group, the group where as a child I had
ming and there were 30-minute breaks in which various grown into becoming a singer, I chose my family. It was
newcomers were given the opportunity to shine. I was with always going to be my priority.”
The Miami’s Star Band, a group of kids, and this was our
very first public performance. Introduction and interview by Samy Ben Redjeb
Laye approached me after the show, told me he liked January 29th, 2012 in Dakar
Mastering by Stefan Konstantinidis at Fabrika Music (Athens), [Link] – tel: +30 21034 72452 – fabrikamusic@[Link] P.1 Picture taken from the LP “Chauffeur Bi” - Thione Seck et son Ensemble
Graphic Design by Kathrin Remest – [Link] P. 6-7 Le Star Band de Dakar
Biographies Jennie Loiseau, Adamantios Kafetzis and Samy Ben Redjeb, Text editing by Paul Sullivan From left to right: Mbom Mbaye (Vocal, Maracass), Mor Cissé (Vocal), Amara Touré (Vocal, Timbales),
Vinyl Record Cutting Emil Berliner Studios (Berlin) Lynx Tall (Tumba, Drums), Jose Ramos (Guitar), Harrison (Bass).
Special Thanks To: Pape Diallo, Djibril Gaby Gaye, Max Dia, Aly Penda N´Doye, Medioune Diallo, Serigne Ibrahima Mbengue “dit” Kneeling: Pape Seck (Vocal, Flute), Salla Kassé (Percussion)
Sam Vito, N`Gom Mamé Maissa “dit” King N´Gom, Ibrahima Diallo, Tidiane Bathily, Ass Diouf, Thione Seck, Binetou and Julien at P.  9 Ibra Kassé
Syllart Records, Nick Robbins at Soundmastering, Michael Graves at Osiris Studios. Thanks to Vik Sohonie for Massani Cissé. To Thierno P. 10 Moussa Diallo
Abass - Record collector extraordinaire, cinematographer and party organiser for the amazing pictures of „Bembeya Jazz at Le Miami“. P. 17 Max Dia with his wife, Fangóól lead singer Fatou Kine N‘diaye
Viva Marvillas is dedicated to Andy Williams. Special thanks to Djibathien Sambou for allowing us to use his fantastic paintings. P. 18-19 Fangóól from left to right:
Special dedication to Adamantios Kafetzis from Teranga Beat for making this project possible. Patrice Domuja (Antilles – Organ), Alain Agbo (Benin - Guitar Solo),
Gilbert Diop (Senegal - Percussion), Max Dia (Senegal - Drums and Lead Vocal),
1. Mariama – Fangóól (Senegal Folklore – Arr. Max Dia) –Taken from the LP ”Jot Sa Bop” – Discafrique DARL 004 – Licensed from Fatou Kine N‘diaye (Senegal - Lead Vocal), El Hadj Thiam (Senegal - Bass), Pap Samba (Senegal - Chorus)
Dia Maguette 2. Africa – Orchestre G.M.I (Aly Penda N´Doye) – Previously unreleased – Recorded by Moussa Diallo – Licensed from P. 20 Pape Demba Diop (Left) and Aly Penda (Right)
Aly Penda N´Doye 3. Thiely – Orchestre Bawobab (F .Campuzano & J. Castellón – Arr. Medioune Diallo) – Previously unreleased – P. 22-23 Thione Seck (Singer and composer of Ma Penda)
Recorded by Moussa Diallo – Licensed from Medioune Diallo 4. Bour Sine – Le Saourouba de Louga (Serigne Ibrahima Mbengue) P. 25 Medioune Diallo
– Previously unreleased - Recorded by Moussa Diallo – Licensed from Serigne Ibrahima Mbengue 5. Viva Marvillas – King N´Gom P. 26 Le Saourouba de Louga
(S. Suarez & J. Formell - Arr. N`Gom Mamé Maissa) – Taken from the 7inch Single “Viva Marvillas/La Mujer De Sin Le Plato - Discafric P. 28-29 King N‘Gom (center) with Le Star Band de Dakar
EB 002 – Licensed from N`Gom Mamé Maissa 6. Massani Cissé – Orchestre Laye Thiam (Senegal Folklore – Arr. Abdoulaye Thiam) P. 33 Amara Touré
Taken from the LP ”Orchestre Laye Thiam / Orchestre Saf Mounadem” – IB 3026 – Licensed from Ibra Kassé & Sons 7. El Carretero – P. 34 Tropical Jazz with Mady Konaté and Aly Penda (Up front).
Amara Touré et Le Star Band De Dakar (Guillermo Portabales – Arr. Amara Touré) – Previously unreleased – Recorded by Moussa 2nd from the Left is Bass player Jean Tamagnon aka John Ozila and
Diallo – Licensed from Ibra Kassé & Sons 8. Kiko Medina – Le Tropical Jazz de Dakar (Arsenio rodriguez) – Previously unreleased 4th from the Left on the congas is Baye Diagne, singer at Tropical Jazz.
– Recorded by Moussa Diallo – Licensed from Ibrahima Diallo 9. Kokorico – Orchestre Laye Thiam (Arr. Teddy Osei) – Taken from P. 35-36 Tropical Jazz
the LP ”Orchestre Laye Thiam” – IB 3024 – Licensed from Ibra Kassé & Sons 10. Ndiourel – Gëstu de Dakar (Tidiane Bathily) – P. 39 Gëstu de Dakar with Tidiane Bathily (2nd from L) Ass Diouf (3rd from R)
Taken from the LP ”Diabar” – Mimi-B-S-15155-02 – Licensed from Syllart Records 11. Ma Penda – Orchestre Bawobab (Thione P. 40 Thione Seck
Seck) – Previously unreleased – Recorded by Moussa Diallo – Licensed from Thione Seck 12. Sanga Té – Orchestre Laye Thiam (Eddy
John) – Taken from the LP ”Orchestre Laye Thiam” – IB 3024 – Licensed from Ibra Kassé & Sons

Diamonoye Tiopité Halleli N‘Dakarou Ndigal Kadior Demp Aw Sa Yone Vol. 1 Vagabonde Live à l‘Étoile Aw Sa Yone Vol. 2
Idrissa Diop Guelewar Karantamba Royal Band de Thiès Dieuf-Dieul de Thiès Mar Seck Dexter Johnson Dieuf-Dieul de Thiès
& Cheikh Tidiane Tall & Le Super Star de Dakar 43
AA No. 01 AA No. 02 AA No. 03 AA No. 04 AA No. 05
The Green Arrows Hallelujah Chicken Run Band African Scream Contest Poly Rythmo Vol. 1 Legends of Benin
AACD 061 | AALP 061 AACD 062 | AALP 062 AACD 063 | AALP 063 AACD 064 | AALP 064 AACD 065 | AALP 065

AA No. 06 AA No. 07 AA No. 08 AA No. 09 AA No. 10

Poly Rythmo Vol. 2 Anibal Velasquez Afro Beat Airways Angola Soundtrack Bambara Mystic Soul
AACD 066 | AALP 066 AACD 067 | AALP 067 AACD 068 | AALP 068 AACD 069 | AALP 069 AACD 070 | AALP 070

AA No. 11 AA No. 12 AA No. 13 AA No. 14 AA No. 15

Super Bourgou de Parakou Diablos del Ritmo Poly Rythmo Vol. 3 Afrobeat Airways 2 Angola Soundtrack 2
AACD 071 | AALP 02 AACD 072 | AALP 072A/072B AACD 073 | AALP 073 AACD 074 | AALP 074 AACD 075 | AALP 05

AA No. 16 AA No. 17 AA No. 18

Mestre Cupijó – Siriá Verckys et l‘Orchestre Vévé Amara Touré
AACD 072 | AALP 072A/072B AACD 077 | AALP 077 AACD 078 | AALP 078