Bandleader Balla Sidibé, one of the founders of the famed Senegalese Afro-Latin band Orchestra Baobab, passed away on Wednesday, July 29 in Dakar, Senegal.
In a press release, the band’s record label, World Music Records stated: “We are very sad to announce that Balla Sidibé, founder member, lead singer, percussionist and composer of Orchestra Baobab passed away this morning. Balla was a giant of African music and a great and gentle man. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and fellow musicians.”
Born in 1942 in the Casamance region of Senegal, Sidibé abandoned an early career in the police force to become a musician, regardless of his family’s disapproval. Throughout the mid-1960s he played in various Dakar bands, meeting future Baobab colleagues Rudy Gomis and Barthelemy Attisso along the way. All three were recruited in 1970 to play in the house band at new stylish Dakar destination Club Baobab, where they were joined by Charlie Ndiaye, Laye Mboup and Issa Cissokho. The ensemble became the famed Orchestra Baobab.
Orchestra Baobab enjoyed huge success across West Africa throughout the 1970s, with Sidibé responsible for writing many of the band’s best known songs including the hit ‘On Verre Ca’. Despite a long interruption in the late 1980s and 1990s, Baobab reformed to release the critically acclaimed ‘Specialist In All Styles’ in 2001, starting a new era of international touring and further acclaimed releases.
Orchestra Baobab had been celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, with shows being planned for 2021 and rehearsals taking place, with Sidibé, just hours before he passed away.
Read more about Orchestra Baobab.
Author: World Music Central News Room
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