Album: Specialists In All Styles
Artist: Orchestra Baobab
One of my favourite aspects of the album is the evocative sound of the African guitars, which are blended with saxophones, relentless Cuban drums and energetic vocals, sung in a mix of French and Wolof dialect. One figure missing from the line-up was Laye Mboup, considered the greatest of all the group's singers, who died in a car accident in the 70s. One of the band's newcomers, Assane Mboup, fills the gap admirably, taking on the lead vocals for album highlight, N'dongoy Daara. Specialist In All Styles is a blend of old and new material, with N'dongoy Daara one of several remakes of an old Orchestra Baobab song; On Verra ("We'll See") is another. Opening track Bul Ma Miin and Homage à Tonton Ferrer are two other standout tracks, the latter featuring guest vocal performances by both Youssou N’Dour and Cuban star, Ibrahim Ferrer. The song is a reworking of Utrus Horas from Pirates Choice (so called because it was widely bootlegged in Senegal), but enhanced with better production and new lyrics. One of Orchestra Baobab's real innovations was putting griots in an orchestra and, in the process, creating a new form of salsa. As well as its vitality, what I love about the album is how it celebrates collaboration, bringing together brilliant musicians (who really are specialists in all styles) to create something completely unique.
Born: Dakar, Senegal
Released: September 2002
Genre: Afro-Cuban Pop
I remember well the buzz surrounding the release of the Buena Vista Social Club album back in the late 90s. Though I enjoyed the record, I didn't really connect with it. Wim Wenders' film was great, but there was something a little lethargic about the music. The regrouping of Orchestra Baobab generated similar excitement, so I took another punt and this time the connection was instant. Although Orchestra Baobab had been inactive for almost 15 years, they were still clearly at the height of their powers and were able to reassemble almost the entire original line-up. Much of the impetus for Orchestra Baobab's revival was surging interest in "world" music, partly on the back of Buena Vista Social Club's success, but also the successful 20th anniversary re-issue of the group's Pirates Choice album in 2002. That record perfectly distills Orchestra Baobab's unique fusion of Cuban and West African musical traditions, such as the Wolof sound of the tenor sax and griot (spoken poetry) storytelling. In the late 80s, Youssou N'Dour evolved this sound into something called M'balax, which gained international success at about the same time as its originators Orchestra Baobab disbanded. So it was fitting that N'Dour was the driving force behind the group getting back together; he also produced and oversaw the recording of Specialist In All Styles in London.
I remember well the buzz surrounding the release of the Buena Vista Social Club album back in the late 90s. Though I enjoyed the record, I didn't really connect with it. Wim Wenders' film was great, but there was something a little lethargic about the music. The regrouping of Orchestra Baobab generated similar excitement, so I took another punt and this time the connection was instant. Although Orchestra Baobab had been inactive for almost 15 years, they were still clearly at the height of their powers and were able to reassemble almost the entire original line-up. Much of the impetus for Orchestra Baobab's revival was surging interest in "world" music, partly on the back of Buena Vista Social Club's success, but also the successful 20th anniversary re-issue of the group's Pirates Choice album in 2002. That record perfectly distills Orchestra Baobab's unique fusion of Cuban and West African musical traditions, such as the Wolof sound of the tenor sax and griot (spoken poetry) storytelling. In the late 80s, Youssou N'Dour evolved this sound into something called M'balax, which gained international success at about the same time as its originators Orchestra Baobab disbanded. So it was fitting that N'Dour was the driving force behind the group getting back together; he also produced and oversaw the recording of Specialist In All Styles in London.
One of my favourite aspects of the album is the evocative sound of the African guitars, which are blended with saxophones, relentless Cuban drums and energetic vocals, sung in a mix of French and Wolof dialect. One figure missing from the line-up was Laye Mboup, considered the greatest of all the group's singers, who died in a car accident in the 70s. One of the band's newcomers, Assane Mboup, fills the gap admirably, taking on the lead vocals for album highlight, N'dongoy Daara. Specialist In All Styles is a blend of old and new material, with N'dongoy Daara one of several remakes of an old Orchestra Baobab song; On Verra ("We'll See") is another. Opening track Bul Ma Miin and Homage à Tonton Ferrer are two other standout tracks, the latter featuring guest vocal performances by both Youssou N’Dour and Cuban star, Ibrahim Ferrer. The song is a reworking of Utrus Horas from Pirates Choice (so called because it was widely bootlegged in Senegal), but enhanced with better production and new lyrics. One of Orchestra Baobab's real innovations was putting griots in an orchestra and, in the process, creating a new form of salsa. As well as its vitality, what I love about the album is how it celebrates collaboration, bringing together brilliant musicians (who really are specialists in all styles) to create something completely unique.
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