O. Baobab

Orchestra Baobab - 2007 - Made In Dakar

Download Made in Dakar Albun Sample

[Português] Orchestra Baobab, iniciada em 1970, é um consagrado grupo senegales que realiza uma bela fusão entre a música caribenha, em especial cubana, e a africana. Entre os discos publicados pela orquestra, o lançamento de 2007 "Made in Dakar" esta entre os discos mais bonitos da orquestra, e como nos discos anteriores sempre com uma sonoridade muito autentica.  

[English] Orchestra Baobab, started in 1970, is a celebrated Senegalese group that performs a beautiful fusion of Caribbean, particularly Cuban, and African sounds. Between records published by the orchestra, the 2007 launched "Made in Dakar" is among the most beautiful albums of the orchestra, and as in previous albums always much authentic sounds.

Tracks:

01. Pape Ndiaye   (3:41)
02. Nijaay   (7:15)
03. Beni Baraale   (5:51)
04. Ami Kita Bay   (5:25)
05. Cabral   (8:25)
06. Sibam   (4:51)

07. Aline   (4:05)  
08. Ndeleng Ndeleng   (7:24)
09. Jirim   (4:48)
10. Bikowa   (4:24)
11. Colette   (5:08)
12. Bi Moussolou   (5:27)


Musicians:

Balla Sidibe - vocals, timbales, drums
Rudy Gomis - vocals, maracas, clave
Ndiouga Dieng - vocals, congas
Medoune Diallo - vocals
Assane Mboup - vocals
Barthélemy Attisso - lead guitar, chef d'orchestre
Latfi Benjeloun - rhythm guitar
Issa Cissoko - tenor sax (alto sax 'Bikowa')
Thierno Koite - alto sax
Charlie Ndiaye - bass
Mountaga Koite - congas, drums
Youssou Ndour - vocals ('Nijaay')

Ibou Konate - trumpet
Sanou Diouf - tenor sax ('Beni Baraale')
Baba Nabe - rhythm guitar ('Beni Baraale')
Jesus "Aguaje" Ramos - trombone
Thio Mbaye - sabar drums
Assane Thiam - tama (talking drum)


Recorded at Xippi Studios in Dakar.

Aditional informations about the songs:

(Source: PDF document of Made in Dakar Song Notes from World Circuit Records).

Track 01. PAPA NDIAYE (Laye Mboup/ adapted by Assane Mboup. Arr. Barthélemy Attisso)  

Assane Mboup - lead vocal in Wolof 

One of the very first traditional griot songs to be updated and played by a modern band, the musicians who went on to form Baobab shocked and seduced Dakar audiences with this piece in 1968. Trademark sax work from Issa Cissoko. The lyrics pay homage to an old, benevolent king of Senegal called Papa Ndiaye Ndene. 

  

Track 02. NIJAAY (Laye Mboup / adapted by Assane Mboup, Youssou Ndour. Arr. Barthélemy Attisso) 

Assane Mboup and Youssou Ndour - lead vocals in Wolof 

Composed by the late and legendary vocalist Laye Mboup, this song has remained a favourite amongst the Senegalese public since an afro-sporting Baobab first performed it on radio and television in 1972. This is a more up-tempo version featuring the sabar drums of Thio Mbaye, a work-out for Attisso's wah wah guitar, tenor sax from Issa Cissoko and alto from Thierno Koite. Lead vocals are taken by Assane Mboup, protégé of Youssou Ndour, who also makes an appearance. The lyrics advise women on how to be successful in marriage - “put on your best clothes and perfume” – while celebrating the wives of the various band members.  

Track 03. BENI BARAALE  (Bembeya Jazz de Guinea/ arr. Barthélemy Attisso) 

Balla Sidibe - lead vocal in Malinke 

Baobab's tribute to neighbouring Guinea's legendary Bembeya Jazz and their late singer Aboubacar Demba Camara. Bembeya played at Dakar's Miami Club in 1969, when several members of Baobab were still in the resident Star Band. That night the Star Band played various Bembeya songs in their guests’ honour. Beni Barale was one of those songs, and is played here in the Guinean style with Guinea’s Baba Nabe on second guitar. The song talks of love for one’s country - no country is better than your own. 

Track 03. AMI KITA BAY  (Rudy Gomis/ arr. Barthélemy Attisso)  

Rudy Gomis - lead vocal in Portuguese Creole. 

Sung in the Portuguese creole of Guineau Bissau and Casamance, this rhythm is 'mbalsa', a Baobab hybrid combining mbalax (the pre-eminent musical style of Senegal today) and salsa. The lyrics deal with the responsibilities of being a working father: “If I don’t go to work, nothing will work at home”.

   

Track 04. CABRAL (adapted by Balla Sidibe and Barthélemy Attisso) 

Balla Sidibe and Rudy Gomis - lead vocals in Portuguese Creole.  

'Cabral' pays homage to Amilcar Lopes Cabral, former president of Guineau- Bissau, to celebrate his successful revolution against Portuguese colonial power. A typically Baobab take on the Cuban guajira rhythm.   

Track 05. SIBAM (Medoune Diallo/ arr. Barthélemy Attisso)  

Medoune Diallo - lead vocal in Wolof. 

Medoune Diallo, who has achieved great success with Africando, had a hit with Baobab with this song in the late 1970s. It is based on ‘seuruba’, a ritual dance from Casamance, Senegal’s southern region, performed at circumcision ceremonies. "If you dance Sibam too much it makes your waist hurt” Thio Mbaye on sabars and Assane Thiam on tama join Baobab's rhythm section. The pocket trumpet is played by Ibou Konate, who has been performing with Baobab in recent years.    

Track 06. ALINE (Balla Sidibe/ arr. Barthélemy Attisso)  

Balla Sidibe with Rudy Gomis – lead vocals in French  

Based on the classic Congolese 50s and 60s rumba style as played by such greats as Doctor Nico, Franco, Rocherau and Grande Kalle. Joint lead vocals are by Balla Sidibe and Rudy Gomis who have been singing together in Dakar clubs since meeting at The Palladium Club in 1965. Aline is the name of his loved one. “Oh Aline, when I sleep I dream you’re going to leave me. Life is sad. Be my lover, don’t leave me. Love is the soul of the universe.”           

Track 07. NDÉLENG NDÉLENG (Thione Seck. Adapted by Assane MBoup. arr. Barthélemy Attisso)

Assane Mboup - lead vocal in Wolof

This traditonal griot song was brought to the band by the great Thione Seck. One of Dakar’s most popular mbalax singers, Assane Mboup cannot sleep for thoughts of his lady love. He sings tributes to the wives of the members of the band. The rhythm is mbalax, driven by Thio Mbaye's sabar drums. This is a much requested song when the band play at home in Dakar. Great guitar work from Attisso.     

Track 08. JIRIM (Ndouga Dieng/ arr. Barthélemy Attisso) 

Ndouga Dieng - lead vocal in Wolof

This is an updated version of a traditional Senegalese song whose rhythm, derived from the sabar drum, strangely resembles a cha cha cha. Baobab were pioneers in modernising Senegalese music in the late 1960's bringing an electric version of griot culture into the night-clubs of Dakar. Guitarist Attisso draws on his youthful exposure to the country music of Jim Reeves, Don Williams and Kenny Rogers while Issa Cissoko pays tribute to his hero King Curtis. Ndiouga sings of his experiences of seeing abandoned children and calls for them to be taken care of.  

Track 09. BIKOWA (Issa Cissoko)

Medoune Diallo - lead vocal in Malinke

Issa Cissoko's calypso is sung by Medoune Diallo in Malinke. Calypso and the similar Ghanaian highlife were very popular in Dakar in the 1960s (there was even a Dakar club called Le Calypso), but the craze died out in the 1970s. Ibra Kasse, the founder of Senegal's first modern band The Star Band (members of which went on to form Baobab) encouraged a 1972 recording of this piece to cater to his more mature clients. Unusually, Issa is featured on alto sax which he plays with a sound very close to the soprano. It's a love song where the singer asks his lover to come and lie next to him and hold his hand. If she is happy then he is happy and if he is angry so is she. It is bad to have relationships that aren't for real.  

Track 10. COLETTE (Barthélemy Attisso/ Rudy Gomis/ Ndiouga Dieng)

Rudy Gomis and Ndiouga Dieng - lead vocals in French and Wolof

Initially composed as a 'hot' and danceable instrumental for the band's live show, singers Rudy Gomis and Ndiouga Dieng contributed vocal lines in Wolof during rehearsals. The rhythm is influenced by 70's soul and reggae as well as the Jimmy Smith-style Blue Note jazz popular at the time. Colette is Attisso's wife, and the song asks her not to abandon him or let him down as life without her would make no sense. Also dedicated to Carlos Santana.

Link 1: Mega