Laba Sosseh
Encyclopedia
Laba Badara Sosseh was a Gambian
son and salsa
singer and composer.
A griot
, Sosseh was born in Bathurst, British Gambia (now Banjul
, The Gambia) on 12 March 1943. His family relocated to Dakar
because of his father's work at the airport, and Sosseh engaged Dakar's musical scene, which was at the time strongly tilted towards son, rumba
and other Cuba
n rhythms . As a founding member of Dakar's Star Band
, he shared the limelight during the late 1960s with several future members of Orchestra Baobab. He also performed with Issa Cissokho
's Vedette band.
In 1972, Sosseh cast his lot with a splinter group, Superstar de Dakar, that was based in Abidjan
, Côte d'Ivoire
. The band went through several incarnations, including the Super International Band de Dakar featuring singer Pape Fall, and Liwanza. After recording with Liwanza for local producer Aboudou Lassissi in 1977, Lassissi managed for Sosseh to visit New York
, where he became involved in the fledging salsa
scene, and recorded a series of LPs titled "Salsa Africana", with direction from Cuban sonero Monguito
"El Unico" .
Sosseh remained connected to the New York salsa scene for thirty years. He recorded repeatedly with Orquesta Aragón
in Paris, and his song "Diamoule Mawo" was covered by Joe Arroyo
(as "Yamulemau", with Arroyo singing in Wolof language
by means of a phonetics sheet).
In 1998, Sosseh was tapped by famed Afro-salsa band Africando
for their album Baloba! where he sang two tunes: "Ayo Nene" and his signature tune "Aminata". When Senegal and Cuba normalized relations, Sosseh was part of the "Afro-salseros de Senegal" project, together with Pape Fall, James Gadiaga and Issa Cissokho among others. On their only record, Sosseh sings "El Manisero" and (again) "Aminata".
Sosseh was also featured in several compilations of Afro-Cuban music, including "Putumayo: Congo to Cuba".
Sosseh, who fathered 27 children died 20 September 2007 in Dakar. Colleagues Pape Fall and Cheikh Tidiane Tall announced his death on Senegalese radio .
The Gambia
The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....
son and salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
singer and composer.
A griot
Griot
A griot or jeli is a West African storyteller. The griot delivers history as a poet, praise singer, and wandering musician. The griot is a repository of oral tradition. As such, they are sometimes also called bards...
, Sosseh was born in Bathurst, British Gambia (now Banjul
Banjul
-Transport:Ferries sail from Banjul to Barra. The city is served by the Banjul International Airport. Banjul is on the Trans–West African Coastal Highway connecting it to Dakar and Bissau, and will eventually provide a paved highway link to 11 other nations of ECOWAS.Banjul International Airport...
, The Gambia) on 12 March 1943. His family relocated to Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
because of his father's work at the airport, and Sosseh engaged Dakar's musical scene, which was at the time strongly tilted towards son, rumba
Rumba
Rumba is a family of percussive rhythms, song and dance that originated in Cuba as a combination of the musical traditions of Africans brought to Cuba as slaves and Spanish colonizers. The name derives from the Cuban Spanish word rumbo which means "party" or "spree". It is secular, with no...
and other Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n rhythms . As a founding member of Dakar's Star Band
Star Band
Star Band is a music group from Senegal that were the resident band of Dakar's Miami Club.Formed to celebrate Senegal's independence in 1960 the band has been host to some influential musicians, Youssou N'Dour being the most notable, and gave birth to Etoile de Dakar...
, he shared the limelight during the late 1960s with several future members of Orchestra Baobab. He also performed with Issa Cissokho
Issa Cissokho
Issa Cissokho is a Senegalese musician of Malian griot roots, a composer, and saxophone player for Orchestra Baobab....
's Vedette band.
In 1972, Sosseh cast his lot with a splinter group, Superstar de Dakar, that was based in Abidjan
Abidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...
, Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
. The band went through several incarnations, including the Super International Band de Dakar featuring singer Pape Fall, and Liwanza. After recording with Liwanza for local producer Aboudou Lassissi in 1977, Lassissi managed for Sosseh to visit New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he became involved in the fledging salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
scene, and recorded a series of LPs titled "Salsa Africana", with direction from Cuban sonero Monguito
Monguito
Monguito "El Unico", was a Cuban vocalist. He was born Ramón Quian, in Matanzas Province, Cuba; and died in 2006, in New York City. An Afro-Cuban sonero, he had a simple improvising style with a distinctive nasal voice....
"El Unico" .
Sosseh remained connected to the New York salsa scene for thirty years. He recorded repeatedly with Orquesta Aragón
Orquesta Aragón
Orquesta Aragón was formed on 30 September 1939, by Orestes Aragón Cantero in Cienfuegos, Cuba. The band originally had the name Ritmica 39, then Ritmica Aragón before settling on its final form. Though they did not create the Cha-cha-cha, they were arguably the best charanga in Cuba during 1950s...
in Paris, and his song "Diamoule Mawo" was covered by Joe Arroyo
Joe Arroyo
Álvaro José Arroyo González was a Colombian salsa and tropical music singer, composer and songwriter. Considered one of the greatest performers of Caribbean music in his country....
(as "Yamulemau", with Arroyo singing in Wolof language
Wolof language
Wolof is a language spoken in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania, and is the native language of the Wolof people. Like the neighbouring languages Serer and Fula, it belongs to the Atlantic branch of the Niger–Congo language family...
by means of a phonetics sheet).
In 1998, Sosseh was tapped by famed Afro-salsa band Africando
Africando
Africando is a musical project formed in 1990 to unite New York-based salsa musicians with Senegalese vocalists. Musicians from other African countries were later included under the name Africando All Stars....
for their album Baloba! where he sang two tunes: "Ayo Nene" and his signature tune "Aminata". When Senegal and Cuba normalized relations, Sosseh was part of the "Afro-salseros de Senegal" project, together with Pape Fall, James Gadiaga and Issa Cissokho among others. On their only record, Sosseh sings "El Manisero" and (again) "Aminata".
Sosseh was also featured in several compilations of Afro-Cuban music, including "Putumayo: Congo to Cuba".
Sosseh, who fathered 27 children died 20 September 2007 in Dakar. Colleagues Pape Fall and Cheikh Tidiane Tall announced his death on Senegalese radio .