Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Senegal

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The music of Senegal was made world famous by Youssou N'Dour, but others, such as Baaba Maal, and Ismael Lô, have gained international acclaim on Western markets too. On the African continent, everybody knows Senegalese music for its energy, although only the Senegalese can dance the "ventilateur"...
Senegalese music was heavily influenced by Latin music until well into the 1980s. Bands like the Star Band, Orchestre No.1, and Etoile de Dakar all started playing salsa music. Even now, Africando is internationally successful, and many of its members were formerly part of these bands.
Relatively late compared to surrounding countries, Senegalese musicians searched to use traditional Senegalese rhythms in popular music. By then, the mbalax sound has gained importance, mainly through Youssou N'Dour followed by Thione Seck, Ismael Lô, and Super Diamono, but Gambian neighbour Ifang Bondi had a pioneering role in this quest for using local elements in modern Senegalese music.
Although the music scene is traditionally dominated by the wolof people with the mbalax rhythm, Baaba Maal was the first to break through this hegemony. Maal, toucouleur, has become very popular with his yela music.
Bands like Toure Kunda play a softer, more accessible music, with influences from the Casamance region and from neighbouring countries like Guinee-Bissau. They sold 100,000s of LPs in France during the 1980s. If you prefer acoustic recordings, try the rootsy music of Pascal Diatta and Sona Mané, the folk oriented music of Diogal Sakho or Metzo Djatah or the acoustic recordings of Baaba Maal (Djam Leelii). It will change your life...

Nowadays, rap and hiphop is extremely popular, since long before, a traditional form of rap existed in Senegal, the Tassou. But apart from that, the mbalax music has developed into a new generation by younger musicians, the Boul Falé (=don't care). These constant dynamics of the musical landscape in Senegal show that the Senegalese musical and cultural identity is very strong, and although Western music has a considerable impact, this identity will remain strong.

Click below for more info on Senegalese stars:

Africando	Alune (Alioune Wade)	Daby Baldé
Orchestre Baobab	Pape Armand Boye	Super Cayor de Dakar
Dieuorou Cissoko a.k.a. Ali Boulo Santo	Djéour Cissokho	Daara J
Super Diamono	Pascal Diatta & Sona Mané	Fallou Dieng
Bu-Baca Diop	Djanbutu Thiossane	Metzo Djatah
Djoloff	Tidiane Gaye & le Dieuf Dieul	Fatou Guewel
Les Frères Guissé	Omar Ka & the Fula Band	Kamalor
Lamine Konté	Kiné Lam	Lemzo Diamono
Cheikh Lô	Ismael Lô	Ndongo Lo
Ameth Male	Baaba Maal	Cherif Mbaw
Nder & le Setsima Group	Youssou N'Dour	Ouza
Pape & Cheikh	Omar Pène	Positive Black Soul
Secka & Royal Band de Thiès	Diogal Sakho	Ali Boulo Santo
Abdou Guité Seck	Coumba Gawlo Seck	Mansour Seck
Thione Seck	Daby Touré	Touré Kunda
Touré-Touré	Viviane	Xalam
External links:
Elhadj Faye
Pape Seck & Orch. Number One
Master drummer Doudou N'Diaye Rose
Other Senegalese stars (Afromix website)
Try also similar music from the Gambia:
Orchestre Guelewar Ifang Bondi Laba Sosseh

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