“We are like the tree we are named after. No matter what happens, the baobab stands firm.”
– Thierno Koité, Orchestra Baobab
Few groups embody the spirit of African music like Orchestra Baobab. Formed over 50 years ago as the resident band of the Baobab Club in Dakar, their timeless fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms, Wolof griot traditions, mbalax, Congolese rumba and jazz continues to resonate across generations and continents. Now, the celebrated big band marks a new chapter in their illustrious history with Made in Senegal, their first new studio album since Tribute To Ndiouga Dieng in 2017 for World Circuit. Released on respected imprint Strut Records in conjunction with Madoky Music, the new album celebrates home, heritage, love and resilience and was recorded entirely in Dakar.
Undeterred by the passing of several key founding members over the past decade, the orchestra has evolved organically, with sons, nephews and longtime collaborators carrying the legacy forward. Today’s line-up blends veteran musicians with a younger generation determined to preserve Baobab’s enduring sound. Long-time members Thierno Koité (saxophone / bandleader), Taga Koité (drums) master percussionist Moussa Cissokho and Yahya Fall (rhythm guitar) are joined by lead vocalists Zacharia “Papino” Koité and Korka Dieng (the band’s first female frontwoman), bassist Malick Sy, guitarist René “Bolero” Sowatche, and saxophonist/trombonist Wilfrid Zinzou, continuing the orchestra’s tradition with discipline, warmth and unmistakable groove.
On Made In Senegal new songs sit effortlessly beside re-imagined classics. Lead single ‘Togne Bakhoul’, composed by late Baobab vocalist Rudy Gomis is a poignant ode to his wife and ‘Tioro Bye Samba’ reprises a classic Thione Seck song while ‘Casamance’ celebrates the culturally rich Southern Senegalese region, homeland of several Baobab members. ‘Baobab 50 Ans’ marks the 50-year anniversary of this indomitable group.