African Pearls: Senegal – Echo Musical

This collection of largely unknown tracks from Senegambia in the 1970s offers some unexpected musical treats, showcasing as it does 14 groups from the capital cities Dakar and Banjul, as well as from the regional towns of St Louis, Thies and Kaolack. At the centre is the Star Band, created by Ibra Kasse to play at his club, the Miami. Kasse, sometimes dubbed the father of modern Senegalese music, encouraged the group to move on from Cuban (or ‘copyright’) music and gradually salsa became salsa mbalax. Spanish lyrics were replaced by local dialects, while timbales and congas gave way to sabar drums. The same trend is apparent with the other groups, who integrated traditional instruments such as tama, kora, balafon or xalam then transposed those sounds to electric guitars or keyboards while flirting with Western rock, pop and jazz.

Youssou N’Dour broke away from the Star Band to form Etoile de Dakar, a group of modernising musician who aimed to please young city slickers. By 1982 Youssou N’Dour had jumped ship again to found Super Etoile de Dakar, featured here on ‘Atou’. In the Gambia, guitar player Bai Janha formed Guelewar de Banjul with griot cousins Moussa and Laye Ngom. They combined Mandinka sounds with mbalax, rock and pop and their robust, rootsy style is showcased on ‘Kelefa Sane’ and ‘Wartef Jigen’, the most energised piece on the album. Orchestra Baobab is represented by ‘Aduna Jarul Niawo’; Ndiouga Dieng is accompanied by a matchless male chorus and Barthelemy Attisso’s sizzling guitar. ‘Alai’, recorded during a visit to the Berlin Horizonte festival in 1979, showcases the second incarnation of Xalam. It feels immediately different and fresh with a groovy rhythm section, glorious horns and Samba Yigo’s winsome guitar all backing up singer Ibrahima Coundoul. The Sahel band, which included members of the first Xalam line-up, provide a majestic finale to the collection as Seydina Insa Wade’s ‘Khandiou’ anticipates the 80s, a golden era for Senegalese music.