Frank Bessem's 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).

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

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