Orchestra Baobab

On 3 October 2026 at Le 106 in Rouen, Orchestra Baobab let loose the signature sound that marked Dakar from the 1970s. Formed as the house band of the Club Baobab by former members of the Star Band, the group built a repertoire in which Afro‑Cuban rumba blends with Wolof rhythms and Mandinka influences, with songs shifting between Wolof, Bambara and Creole. On stage, guitars weave together, the brass breathes freely, and the polyphonic singing creates a sway that is at once supple and precise.

After a first life that lasted until the mid‑1980s, the orchestra relaunched around the turn of the 2000s, propelled by the rediscovery of Pirate’s Choice and then by Specialist in All Styles, recorded with Youssou N’Dour and Ibrahim Ferrer. Since then, Made in Dakar and Tribute to Ndiouga Dieng have reaffirmed the link between the band’s modernity and the musical history of Senegal’s capital. In concert, Orchestra Baobab unfolds extended grooves, delicate guitar lines and a rhythmic elegance that recalls the great dance orchestras of West Africa. At Le 106, it is this collective alchemy that takes center stage.