Orchestra Baobab - Pirates Choice 1982 / 2001 - 2CD - 320Kbps - Afro Cuban, African, Latin # DrBn

Orchestra Baobab
Pirates Choice
1982
2CDs / 2001



The reissue of this 1982 classic, so named because the album from the Senegalese band was pirated all over West Africa, is a thing of beauty, especially considering a whole other album of six more tracks comes appended to the remastered original.
A marvelous mix of Cuban and West African that stood at the crossroads before Senegal developed its trademark m'balax sound. And so the rhythms are redolent of Cuba, whose musical influence on West Africa extended back to the 1940s, while other sounds, like the tenor sax of Issa Cissoko, are pure Senegal with its thick Wolof influence. Of particular note are the four vocalists, who sing in a mixture of Spanish and Wolof. Some of the tunes themselves are reworkings of Cuban material, while the wonderful "Utrus Horas" comes from Guinea Bissau, and "Soldadi" has its origins at home in Senegal. Both are given a slow, smoldering treatment, with some spare, lovely guitar from Barthelemy Attisso.
The additional tracks (originally released on cassette in Senegal in 1982, but which have never seen the light of day elsewhere) come from the same session, but explore slightly different directions, "Toumaranke" has a decidedly carnival atmosphere, although its theme (sung in Mandinka) is homesickness, while "Balla Daffe" is something of a percussion-fest.
For many years this has been one of the treasured releases of world music. Now it's back in print, and everyone can understand why it's been so revered.

2 CDs / 2001 / Remastered / 320Kbps

Tracklist / Disc 1 :
1. Utrus Horas
2. Coumba
3. Ledi Ndieme M'bodj
4. Werente Serigne
5. Ray M'Bele
6. Soldadi

Tracklist / Disc 2 :
1. Ngalam
2. Toumaranke
3. Foire Internationale
4. La Rebellion
5. Ndiaga Niaw
6. Balla Daffe

Recorded in Dakar, Senegal

Personnel:
Medoune Diallo, vocals
Ndiouga Dieng, vocals
Rudolphe Gomis, vocals
Mapenda Seck, vocals
Balla Sidibe, vocals, timbales
Barthelemy Attisso, guitar solo
Issa Cissoko, tenor sax
Papa Ba, guitar
Adama Sarr, guitar
Charly N’Diaye, bass
Mountaga Kouyate, percussion, tumba

The recordings on these 2 CDs were originally released on cassette in Senegal in 1982.
Some time later the six tracks contained on CD 1 were released as a vinyl album in France. It was this record that became something of a Holy Grail for fans of African Music, and it was these same six tracks that World Circuit released for the first time on CD in 1989 under the title Pirates Choice.
This new edition also includes the remaining six tracks from the original sessions, again for the first time on CD. All twelve tracks are now presented with improved sound, re-mastered from the original session tapes.

Straight, no chaser.
:)

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