ORCHESTRA BAOBAB Vinilo y CD

Review: The Sterns Edits series, which sees London producer Ben Gomori touch-up and rework gems from the vast catalogue of world music label and distributors Sterns Music, continues to deliver must-have gems. On this seventh installment, he first turns his attention to "Denya" from Djessou Mory Kante's 2014 album "River Strings - Maninka Guitar". Gomori's version is breezy but club-focused, layering Kante's evocative lead guitar and smooth fretless bass atop a gently bouncy Afro-house groove. Arguably even better is his jaunty, life-affirming revision of Senegalese Afro-Cuban band Orchestra Baobab's brilliant but hard to find gem "Sibou Odia", which sees him make merry with punchy horns, glistening guitars and infectious rhythms.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight surface marks ***


Insanely funky business from Senegal's famous Orchestra Baobab (who are still touring and toiling 40 years later), "Kelen Ati Leen" is a really sweaty, heavy slab of funk that stares west for inspiration and a mild psychedelic Hendrixian sheen. "Souleymane", released three years after the A-side in 1978, takes more of a Latin influence as the horns get steamy over a rigid highlife spine to create a detailed and very physical groove.

Review: Insanely funky business from Senegal's famous Orchestra Baobab (who are still touring and toiling 40 years later), "Kelen Ati Leen" is a really sweaty, heavy slab of funk that stares west for inspiration and a mild psychedelic Hendrixian sheen. "Souleymane", released three years after the A-side in 1978, takes more of a Latin influence as the horns get steamy over a rigid highlife spine to create a detailed and very physical groove.

Review: From 1970 to 1979, Orchestra Baobab cheered up the Baobab night club located in Dakar, Senegal, West Africa. Orchestra Baobab's music stands as the soundtrack of that period, known as the Senghor years, in reference to Senegal's former president. For most of the local elites & many tourists danced through all the seventies to Issa Cissokho's saxophone, Barthélemy Atisso's guitar, Medoune Diallo, Balla Sidibe & Thione Seck's voices. Gifted with a very unique sound personality, Orchestra Baobab revolutionized Senegalese popular music by leaving behind afro-cuban influences for good. The musicians developed a hybrid music fed by viola, Toucouleur, serer, Portuguese Creole and manlike saps. Orchestra Baobab's trademark has since been a polymorphic groove that blends together sweetness & swing, groove & salsa. Quite exotic to foreign ears, that groove sounds most familiar to lovers of African & African American music, an astonishing dance music with a surprising originality, spellbinding if you let yourself rock to it without thinking. These modern compositions, recorded in the 70s, prefigured what made Orchestra Baobab's recent worldwide success when they came back on stage in 2002 after a 15 years absence: A modern & loose dance music that lets soloists express themselves. A sweet & sensual sound deeply rooted in Senegalese musical traditions. Opened to global streams, at the crossroads of several Senegalese & under the inspiration of what was being done in the Black Americas, the Orchestra Baobab of the Senghor years still vibrates in this collection lost recordings (1972-1978).

Review: Mouhamadou Bamba by the Orchestra Baobab (Baobab-Gouye-Gui de Dakar) is a classic album. Despite that status and the fact it is now 40 years old, it has never officially made it onto vinyl before now. The eight tracks were produced by Ibrahima Sylla and seamlessly fuse delicate African and Afro-Cuban rhythms with direction from percussionist saxophonist Issa Sissokh and guitarist Barthelemy Attiso. The Baobab symbolizes Senegalese traditional values and their sound is a super sweet marriage of Senegalese and Afro-Cuban imaginaries. Trilling electric guitars and vocal improvs, fluid drums and Wolof language as well as other boleros all make this a richly rewarding listen.