This release is a very special occasion. Orchestra Baobab was an absolute sensation in Dakar, Senegal, in the 1970s. The group was populated by superb musicians and its Afro-Cuban groove was so compelling that the group’s primary venue, Baobab Club (in Dakar), was a constantly sold-out deal. After a 15-year interval, Orchestra Baobab has been reformed, with several original members returning, including vocalists Balla Sidibe and Rudy Gomis, saxophonist Issa Cissoko, and guitarist Barthelemy Atisso. The revitalized Orchestra Baobab sounds fabulous. Their Afro-Cuban sound is a thing of beauty, from Sidibe’s lovely vocal on “On Verra Ca” to the dance number “Nawe.” Buena Vista Social Club luminary Ibrahim Ferrer joins the orchestra on the ballad “Utrus Horas.” Orchestra Baobab is the past master of the Afro-Cuban vibe; its return couldn’t be more timely.—PVV
