Senegalese vocalist Biram Seck pays tribute to his musical idol Youssou N’Dour alongside London-based Awale Jant Band this Summer.
A giant of Senegalese music before hitting the world circuit through a guest appearance on Peter Gabriel’s 1986 hit “In Your Eyes”, Youssou N’Dour is a pioneer of the Mbalax sound – a genre which mixes Latin, rock, Afro-pop and elements of the African diaspora with the the Wolof sabar, a traditional regional drum.
Dubbed “perhaps the most famous singer alive” in Senegal and much of Africa by Rolling Stone, this musical heavyweight is for many, one of the defining sounds of a continent.
Reigniting his music, London-based band Awalé are the best suited to do it. Led by Biram Seck, his soaring vocals are accompanied by intense and spiritual sabar percussion and weaving intricate guitar patterns, proving the group as both highly talented and faithful successors.
