Womad

Orchestra Baobab

Welcome return for the old-style West African favourites

What can you say about perennial favourites Orchestra Baobab other than that they are the original old masters who just go on getting better with age? Making their third WOMAD appearance in half a dozen years, it's frankly ludicrous to think that the Senegalese band was inactive for 15 years until their magical return in 2002 with the BBC Radio 3 World Music Award-winning album Specialist In All Styles. Stars of Senegalese music in the '70s and early '80s, they broke up following the recording of their classic album Pirate's Choice because their sound was deemed to be "old-fashioned". Well, fashion is transient but class is permanent - just how foolishly misguided that judgement was became evident when they returned in the new millennium, their swaying, lilting dance rhythms sounding as fresh and warm as ever. They proved that their spectacular comeback was not a one-off nostalgic fluke with the release last year of the equally splendid Made In Dakar. But enough words - just make sure you don't miss them.

Biog by Nigel Williamson