 |
Samba Sock has the reputation of being one of the best percussionists worldwide- he is a master of the talking drum, an artist who combines traditional and modern African music with elements of world music.
|
Born in Dakar in 1947, he started his career as a musician at the age of 17, playing with a band called " Orchestra Gala Yabe. ( "Gala Yabe comes from the language of the Toucouleur in Senegal and Mali and means "place of joy- where the young meet the old to enjoy singing, dancing and drumming. With this band he took part in several festivals in the sixties, won the first prize at the " Semaine de la Jeunesse in 1968. In the following years he played in different bands: "Moulin Rouge, " Madison, and "Diarame Orchestra".
Between 1971 and 1973 he lived and worked in Ivory Coast, later in Lagos, Nigeria, where he played at clubs. He finally went back to Dakar to rejoin his former band " Diarame Orchestra in 1975. Since he took an interest in the European music scene, he decided to go to Berlin, where he arrived in 1979.
Life in the then divided city was pretty exciting, and it took him some time to get used to it. In 1983 he founded, together with Gilbert Diop, another musician from the Senegal, the band "Sangomar, in the course of the years he played in numerous Berlin-based bands, among others in Afro- Funk bands like "Ambience and " The Guardians of the Groove who regularly play at renowned jazz clubs. In 1986/87 he could be seen on stage in " Porgy and Bess at the famous " Theater des Westens. One of his recent projects has been the "Gala Yabe Band a band consisting of six African musicians with acoustic guitar, vocals and percussion instruments.
|
Senegal is a country with a very dry climate. That why a "rain wish" has a very different quality than in europe. For the BAONAAN-celebration man dress as women and women as man.
For a whole day and night people drum and dance, and within 24 hours rain will fall. GALA YABE is rooted in the language of the toucouleur from Senegal, Mali and West Africa and means "Place of Fun". A place where all generations come together to sing, dance, play drums an just have fun
European contact and booking
Sonic Music Contacts
011 49 30 42801384 or email
320048332834-0001@T-Online.de
contact and booking USA
RCHowell Music 415-561-9743
|
Listen to Samba Sock
on
Free Format Net Radio
 |
