Orientation

With Orientation, recorded in Dakar, Paris, Cairo and Madras, Thione Seck raises a landmark of Senegalese music – one that illuminates paths to and from the Orient.

It compels us to re-orient our notions of world music.

Orientation is a trip in and of itself.

Thione Seck (whose given name is pronounced chone) was born a gewel – a griot of the Wolof people of Senegal. Yet in addition to the recitations of the traditional gewel repertoire, he grew up listening to Arabic music, both religious and popular, and he was a fan of the extravagant musical scenes in the Bollywood movies that were regularly shown in Dakar theatres. He had inherited the supple Seck voice from his father and grandfather, but from early on Thione imbued his vocal style with characteristics of Arabic and Indian singing.

While still a teenager he was recruited into the Star Band of Dakar, the pre-eminent Senegalese dance band of the 1960s. In the next decade he sang with Orchestre Baobab, which succeeded the Star Band at the top of the Dakar music scene. In the late 70s and early 80s Seck was one of the originators of mbalax, which has been Senegal’s most popular sound since then. His cassettes were huge hits in the local market, and eventually his music reached Europe and North America. With his new album, Thione Seck not only confirms his place among Senegal’s greatest artists but also leads international audiences in new directions.

Recorded between 1999 and 2002, Orientation was produced by Ibrahima Sylla and François Breant, both of whom were on board Salif Keita’s trailblazing Soro. More than 40 Egyptian, Indian, French and Senegalese musicians were involved in the ambitious and unprecedented project that resulted in Orientation.