R.I.P. Orchestra Baobab's Rudy Gomis, 1946-2022

Sadly, Rudy Gomis – longtime singer for Senegal's legendary Orchestra Baobab – has passed away. He'll be greatly missed. 

R.I.P. Orchestra Baobab's Barthélémy Attisso

Remembering the guitar great and lawyer Barthélémy Attisso who passed away on Sunday at the age of 76. He'll be greatly missed.

LINKS 

pan-african-music.com Attisso, légendaire guitariste de l’Orchestra Baobab, n’est plus

R.I.P. Thione Seck, 1955-2021

Sadly, Senegalese singer Thione Seck, who launched his career with Orchestra Baobab, has died in Dakar at the age of 66.  

World Circuit celebrates Orchestra Baobab's 50th with Specialist In All Styles vinyl release

Here's the scoop...

This year marks the 50th anniversary of one of Africa's greatest bands, Senegal's Orchestra Baobab. Adored both at home in Senegal and across the world, Baobab occupy a special place in the history of African music. Their epic story begins in the heart of Dakar's Medina in the 1960s and extends across the world and into the 21st century, featuring a brilliant assembly of diverse musical personalities and encompassing a unique blend of Afro-Latin styles, international pop, West African griot music, and an after-dark nightclub ambience of lifting, mellifluous rhythms.

To celebrate this remarkable milestone, the band has announced the issue of their landmark 2002 reunion album 'Specialist In All Styles' for the first time ever on vinyl, on September 25th. The first 50 preorders through World Circuit's webstore will also receive a limited edition 12x12" print.

'Specialist' was the first album by the full group since 1982's legendary 'Pirates Choice', a holy grail for African music fans. Recorded at London's Livingston Studios in just ten days and produced by World Circuit's Nick Gold with Youssou N'Dour, 'Specialist In All Styles' is a definitive illustration of Baobab's Afro-Latin magic, introducing new material and reinventing some of the old tunes that made them famous. The record features Baobab's sublime rhythm section and two of the most distinctive sounds in African music - Barthélemy Attisso's extraordinary guitar and Issa Cissokho's atmospheric sax. The band's five unique lead singers, each with their own contrasting but complementary styles, are joined on the song 'Hommage à Tonton Ferrer' by special guests Buena Vista Social Club star Ibrahim Ferrer and Youssou N'Dour. 

Watch a clip of Orchestra Baobab performing "Jiin Ma, Jiin Ma" live at Jazz à Vienne Festival in  2015 followed by the original 2002 promo video for "Dée Moo Wóor which you may have missed. 

 

Watch the Orchestra Baobab documentary Specialist In All Styles

After a lengthy hiatus, Senegal's Orchestra Baobab returned in 2002 with the amazing Specialist In All Styles album which this short film documents.