Laba Sosseh
Laba Sosseh | |
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Birth name | Laba Badara Sosseh |
Also known as | Labba Sosseh |
Born | 12 March 1943 |
Died | September 20, 2007 | (aged 64)
Genres |
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Occupation(s) | |
Years active | 1960–2007 |
Labels |
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Laba Badara Sosseh;
Early life and family
A
His father Dembo was a driver for the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). When Sosseh was ten years old, his father got a promotion as a signalman and relocated to Dakar, Senegal with his family. In Senegal, Sosseh continued his education in French until graduating at secondary school level.[2]
Sosseh's children include: Denzy Sosseh (an artist, singer, songwriter, and composer), Demba Said Sosseh, and Koumba Sosseh.[6]
Career
After completing his French education in Senegal, Sosseh returned home to the Gambia "and got involved in the evening musical jamboree at "foyer francais" at the hill and Leman Street Junction in Banjul. The "African band" then emerged and Labba joined the band with musicians like Badou Jobe, Ousainou Senghore, and many others."[2]
Whilst in Darkar due to his father's work at the airport, Sosseh engaged in the Senegalese capital's musical scene, which was at the time strongly tilted towards
In 1972, Sosseh cast his lot with a splinter group, Superstar de Dakar, that was based in
Sosseh remained connected to the New York salsa scene for thirty years. He recorded repeatedly with Orquesta Aragón in Paris, and his song "Diamoule Mawo" was covered by Joe Arroyo (as "Yamulemau", with Arroyo singing in Wolof language by means of a phonetics sheet).
In 1998, Sosseh was tapped by famed Afro-salsa band Africando for their album Baloba! where he sang two tunes: "Ayo Nene" and his signature tune "Aminata". When Senegal and Cuba normalized relations, Sosseh was part of the "Afro-salseros de Senegal" project, together with Pape Fall, James Gadiaga and Issa Cissokho among others. On their only record, Sosseh sings "El Manisero" and (again) "Aminata".
Sosseh was also featured in several compilations of Afro-Cuban music, including "Putumayo: Congo to Cuba".
Personal life and death
Sosseh, who fathered 27 children,[10] died 20 September 2007 in Dakar "after a long illness".[1] Colleagues Pape Fall and Cheikh Tidiane Tall announced his death on RTS, Senegal's state-owned media corporation. Sosseh was buried at the Muslim cemetery in Yoff, Dakar.[1][3]
See also
- Music of the Gambia
- Music of Senegal
- Music of Africa
- Music of African heritage in Cuba
- Music of Cuba
References
- ^ a b c d e "African Salsa Legend Laba Sosseh Dies in Senegal | World Music Central.org". worldmusiccentral.org. 22 September 2007. Retrieved 2018-04-18.
- ^ AllAfrica.com (September, 27 2007), [1](retrieved February, 13 2020)
- ^ a b c Master of Salsa Africana (Laba Sosseh 1943 - 2007), by John Child, (obituary) – Descarga Archived 2013-05-21 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ ISBN 9780313359118 [2](retrieved February, 13 2020)
- ISBN 9780956396808
- ^ Le Quotidien (Senegal) [in] Sen360 SN, "Neuf ans après la disparition de Laba Sosseh : Son fils Denzy, annonce en hommage un «maxi» de 4 titres" (29 Sep 2016) [3][permanent dead link] (accessed 20 August 2020)
- ^ All Gambia Net Archived 2009-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Gaye, Djibril Gaby, interview in liner notes of "Live à l'Étoile", Dexter Johnson & Le Super Star de Dakar, Teranga Beat TBLP 019, 2014, p.4-8
- ^ Kassé, Salla, interview in liner notes of "Live à l'Étoile", Dexter Johnson & Le Super Star de Dakar, Teranga Beat TBLP 019, 2014, p.15
- ^ Descarga Archived 2013-05-21 at the Wayback Machine
External links
- Audio - Laba Sosseh on YouTube