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Musiques d'Afrique:

Omar Pene & Super Diamono
(Senegal)
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Existing for more than 30 years now, Super Diamono has always addressed issues concerning the youth in their lyrics. This accounts for their hugh popularity among younger generations of Senegalese.

Singer and composer Omar Pene created the band with Ismael Lô and they started to play traditional music. After some years, they introduced electric guitars and joined the new mbalax style en vogue in Dakar since the end of the 1970s. Yet, Super Diamono have a distinct style easily recognizable.
Over the years, several musicians left the band for solo careers, such as Ismael Lô who left in the mid-1980s, and was replaced by Mamadou Maiga. Moussa N'Gom came from Guelewar and left in 1988 to create his own band. Others (Lamine "Lemzo" Faye) left to create off-shoots such as Lemzo Diamono. Omar Pene took over in order to promote his solo career, but Super Diamono remained his backup band, and continue to show both talent and craftmanship.


Formed: in 1975 by Omar Pene in Dakar
Style: Mbalax ("mbalax-blues")


Band members (as stated on the album 20 Ans Déja): Omar Pène (lead vocals), Babacar Dieng (vocals), Thio Mbaye (percussion & vocals), Oumar Sow (Lead guitar), Doudou Konaré (solo guitar), Dembel Diop (bass), Iba Ndiaye (claviers), Lappa Diagne (drums).


Discography:


Title Year Label Remarks
Moom Tamit 2007 Cassette
Jigeenu Ndakaru 2005 DAD Release of older recordings
Myamba 2005 Faces (distr. Discograph) Acoustic solo album Omar Pene
Tey - 30 Ans Déja 2005 Diamono Productions CD
Lampe 2003 Origines Cassette
Diadieuf Kaarapit 2003 Lampe Fall Productions Compilation CD of 2 cassettes, Diadieuf (Origines, 2002) and Kaarapit (KSF, 2001)
25 Ans 2001 Night & Day NDCD 083 CD
Integration Africaine 2000 Sonodisc CDS 7062 CD
Diamono Groove 2000 Syllart-Africando Sylaf 96101 CD
Nanga Def 1998 Africando Sylaf 96030 CD
Direct from Dakar 1997 WOMAD Select WSCD102 CD
Tiki Tiki 1997 Africando Sylaf 96017 CD
20 Ans Déja 1996 Africando Sylaf 9602 CD
Fari 1993 Stern's STCD 1051 CD
Nila 1992 Celluloid 66909-2 CD
Cheick anta Diop 1989 Celluloid 08530-1 LP
The People 1987 Encore! ENC 139 Originally released in 1984
Mam 1984 Celluloid CEL 8011 LP
Ndaxami 1984 MCA 303 LP
Greedy Dayaan 1984 Disques Griot GR 7604 LP


See Toshiya Endo's African music discography for a comprehensive list (incl. local cassette productions).

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