Thione Seck
Encyclopedia
Thione Ballago Seck is one of Senegal
's greatest singers and musicians in the mbalax
genre, on par with Baaba Maal
and Youssou N'dour
although he hasn't achieved the same level of fame outside his country. Seck comes from a family of "griot" singers from the Wolof
people of Senegal. His first job was with Orchestre Baobab
, but he later formed his own band, Raam Daan
, which he still heads.
Seck's album Orientation was one of four nominated for BBC3 Radio's World Music Album of the Year in 2006. In much of his music, and notably on this album, Seck experiments with the use of Indian
& Arabic
scales. This supplements his laid back vocals and the band's intense sabar
driven rhythms, and displaces the band's more usual guitars, horns, and synthesizers. This album was made in collaboration with a range of more than 40 North African, Arab, and Indian musicians, playing diverse instruments and creating a fusion of styles. Seck has stated that Bollywood
films were a longstanding musical influence for him, and the experiment in a fusion style reflects this.
Other albums include XV Anniversary Live! (his second international release) and Daaly. He contributed "Laye M'Boup," a tribute to the late Orchestre Baobab leader, to the The Music In My Head soundtrack. Seck also wrote "Entends-tu le monde?
" which was the lead single from Australia
n singer Tina Arena
's seventh studio album 7 vies
.
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
's greatest singers and musicians in the mbalax
Mbalax
Mbalax is the national popular dance music of Senegal and The Gambia. Mbalax is a fusion of popular Western music and dance such as jazz, soul, Latin, and rock blended with sabar, the traditional drumming and dance music of Senegal...
genre, on par with Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several albums, both for independent and major labels. In July 2003, he was made a UNDP Youth Emissary.-Biography:Born 12 November 1953...
and Youssou N'dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
although he hasn't achieved the same level of fame outside his country. Seck comes from a family of "griot" singers from the Wolof
Wolof people
The Wolof are an ethnic group found in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania.In Senegal, the Wolof form an ethnic plurality with about 43.3% of the population are Wolofs...
people of Senegal. His first job was with Orchestre Baobab
Orchestre Baobab
Orchestra Baobab is a Senegalese Afro-Cuban, Son, Wolof and Pachanga band. Organized in 1970, as a multi-ethnic, multi-national club band, Orchestre Baobab adapted the then current craze for Cuban Music in West Africa to Wolof Griot culture and the Mandinga musical traditions of the Casamance...
, but he later formed his own band, Raam Daan
Raam Daan
Raam Daan is a mbalax band from Senegal, Africa. Founded in 1974 by Thione Seck, Raam Daan has risen to become one of the most popular mbalax bands in Senegal ....
, which he still heads.
Seck's album Orientation was one of four nominated for BBC3 Radio's World Music Album of the Year in 2006. In much of his music, and notably on this album, Seck experiments with the use of Indian
Music of India
The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular, pop, classical music and R&B. India's classical music tradition, including Carnatic and Hindustani music, has a history spanning millennia and developed over several eras. It remains fundamental to the lives of Indians today as...
& Arabic
Arab music
Arabic music or Arab music is the music of the Arab World, including several genres and styles of music ranging from Arabic classical to Arabic pop music and from secular to sacred music....
scales. This supplements his laid back vocals and the band's intense sabar
Sabar
The sabar - from the Serer people in origin, is traditional drum from the West African nation of Senegal. It is generally played with one hand and one stick. Among its most renowned exponents is the Senegalese musician Doudou N'Diaye Rose. The sabar was used to communicate to other villages...
driven rhythms, and displaces the band's more usual guitars, horns, and synthesizers. This album was made in collaboration with a range of more than 40 North African, Arab, and Indian musicians, playing diverse instruments and creating a fusion of styles. Seck has stated that Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
films were a longstanding musical influence for him, and the experiment in a fusion style reflects this.
Other albums include XV Anniversary Live! (his second international release) and Daaly. He contributed "Laye M'Boup," a tribute to the late Orchestre Baobab leader, to the The Music In My Head soundtrack. Seck also wrote "Entends-tu le monde?
Entends-tu le monde?
"Entends-tu le monde?" is the first single released from 7 vies, the second French language album by Australian singer Tina Arena. The title roughly translates into English as "Do you hear the world?". The music video for the song was directed by Fabien Dulfils in and around Sydney in December and...
" which was the lead single from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n singer Tina Arena
Tina Arena
Filippina Lydia "Tina" Arena is an Australian singer, songwriter and musical theatre actress. She has won several awards, most notably 6 ARIA Awards and in both 1996 and 2000 she received the World Music Award for the world's best selling Australian artist...
's seventh studio album 7 vies
7 vies
7 vies is the seventh studio album by Australian singer and songwriter Tina Arena, released on 28 January 2008 on Columbia Records in France...
.