Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Africando

Frank Bessem's
Musiques d'Afrique:

Africando
(Senegal)

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The origin of Africando is unique in African music: it stems from a project initiated by West African star producer Ibrahima Sylla and Malian arranger Boncana Maïga reuniting New York based salsa musicians with Senegalese singers who have been singing latin tinged songs since decades, i.e. Pap Seck (ex-Star Band de Dakar), Nicolas Menheim (ex-Youssou N'Dour's Super Etoile de Dakar), and Medoune Diallo (formerly with Orchestre Baobab). Boncana Maiga, who was part of the Maravillas de Mali, a band of Cuba based Malian music students, is originally a flautist but also an expert in Cuban music (he has a collection of 6,000 Cuban records!). The Senegalese singers were among the best, and the salsa musicians had worked with Fania All Stars, Orquestra Broadway, Eddie Palmieri or Tito Puente.

The first two volumes were a big success both in Africa and in the rest of the world. Tragically, singer Pap Seck died in 1995, replacement was found in Gnonnas Pedro from Benin and Ronnie Baró of Orquestra Broadway, who had already worked with Africando previously. Sadly, Gnonnas Pedro died in 2004.

On the latest albums, other singers partipate (also during live tours), for instance Sekouba Bambino, Medoune Diallo, Amadou Balaké. For particular songs, guest singers were invited, such as Koffi Olomide, Thione Seck, which led to the new name Africando All Stars.
Whilst in the beginning, the songs were Latin classics sung in Wolof or a mix of Wolof and Spanish, newer songs were moreover African classics, redone with latin rhythms and instrumentation. With both approaches, Africando has been equally successful.

Formed: in 1992, by Ibrahima Sylla and Boncana Maiga
Style: salsa / afro-latin

Discography:

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
Classic Titles	2007	Cantos	Compilation, released April 2007
Ketukuba	2006	Stern's STCD 1103	F: Discograph
Martina	2003	Sono CDS 9113	UK: Stern's STCD 1096; D: Exil 2665-2
Africando Live	2001	Sono CDS 8907
Mandali	2000	Stern's STCD 1092	Also on Sono CDS 7088 (title: Betece)
El Mejor	2000	Syllart 38199-2
Baloba !	1998	Stern's STCD 1082	Also on Syllart 38158-2
Gombo Salsa	1996	Stern's STCD 1071	Also on Syllart 38145-2
Volume 2 - Tierra Tradicional	1994	Stern's STCD 1054	Also on Syllart 38133-2 (title: Sababor)
Volume 1 - Trovador	1993	Stern's STCD 1045	Also on Syllart 38121-2 (title: Africando)