Orchestra Baobab – The greatest West African music icon of all time

The history of the Baobab Orchestra dates back to the golden era of African music, which was comparable to the Beatles or Led Zeppelin in the Western world. Genre-wise, however, Babobab is completely unique: while the Beatles were influenced by American rock and roll, Latin American music played a similar catalytic role in Senegal. The group's style has matured into a sophisticated essence that fuses African roots with Afro-Cuban rhythms. After the break-up, the original recordings became cult collectors' items, and the revival was spearheaded by producer Nick Gold, who similarly initiated the formation of the Buena Vista Social Club or Ali Farka Touré's collaboration with Ry Cooder. Today, Orchestra Babobab is one of Africa's longest running ensembles. The band is planning to release a new album in the fall to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

The richness of the Baobab Orchestra's style was also enhanced by the fact that the individual members came from culturally diverse regions: the southern border region of Casamance, the northern Toucouleur ethnic group, and even Mali and Togo. In addition to regular concerts at the Baobab's home club in Dakar, the group also played at ceremonial occasions and government events, and by the end of its career had earned a reputation as the best ensemble of its kind not only in Senegal, but throughout West Africa. At that time, for example, they were invited to Paris to perform near the Arc de Triomphe at the wedding of the daughter of French designer Pierre Cardin, becoming the first African group to break into the European celebrity circuit.

Soon afterwards, however, a change of generations and a change in musical tastes took place: Yousou N'Dour entered the scene, his lively mbalax rhythm played on huge sabar drums the opposite of the sophisticated and slightly nostalgic style of Orchestra Baobab, and the group split up in 1987. The next generation of listeners rediscovered their music through archival recordings, and Orchestra Baobab's resurrection in 2001 became a worldwide musical sensation. The revived line-up made its debut at London's Barbican Hall, its album with guest Ibrahim Ferrer was produced by Youssou N'Dour – and in 2003 it won the BBC Radio 3 World Music Award.