Pirate's Choice

Orchestra Baobab includes: Balla Sidibe (vocals, timbales); Medoune Diallo, Ndiouga Dieng, Rudolphe Gomis, Mapenda Seck (vocals); Barthelemy Attisso, Papa Ba, Adama Sarr (guitar); Charly N'Diaye (bass); Mountaga Kouyate (tumba, percussion).
Recorded in 1982. Includes liner notes by Charlie Gillett and Nick Gold.
Senegal's Orchestra Baobab were one of Dakar's most popular bands in the 1970s and `80s, but it wasn't until the 2000s that the rest of the world caught up with their beautifully eclectic, alluring Afro-pop sound. While the group's discography is full of gems, 1982's PIRATES CHOICE is one of their finest. Heavily influenced by rhumba and other Afro-Cuban flavors, PIRATES CHOICE also mixes in Jamaican influence alongside native African rhythms. Gentle bass and percussion percolates alongside soothing harmonies and agile guitar leads, creating the sunny, mellow vibe that permeates all six tracks (most of which clock in at seven or eight minutes each). A certified world music classic that belongs in the library of anyone remotely interested in African music, PIRATES CHOICE was reissued in 2002 with an additional disc of bonus tracks.