WAAW Band Mbalax
Managed by New African Production, Inc.

New African Production, Inc. is proud to introduce WAAW Band Mbalax - the first NYC-based group to present authentic and original mbalax music of the Wolof people from Senegal, West Africa!

Popularized internationally by the renowned singers Youssou N'Dour and Baaba Maal, mbalax is a highly danceable music style characterized by complex polyrhythmic percussion and dramatic vocal harmonies sung in Wolof (Senegal's largest language group). WAAW Band Mbalax's original and fresh approach to mbalax reflects the diverse talents of the group's members, and how they infuse the musical traditions of their homeland with the popular styles they have absorbed as young musicians living in New York City. Although the band has only recently recently appeared on the New York music scene, the word is out - and so are the dancers!

The genre of mbalax became popularized in Senegal in the early 1980s, and came to be defined by the griot Youssou N'Dour and his seminal band, Étoile de Dakar. Adding accents of jazz and Cuban horns (introduced throughout Africa in the 1950s) to traditional Mandinka drums, they transformed rhythmic patterns into innovative instrumental stylings and singing techniques. Prominently featured is the tama (talking drum), which accents the riveting knombalax rhythmic style. The songs can be about topical issues, as well as love, morality and historical tales.

The members of WAAW Band Mbalax are:
Thierno Camara (bass/vocals/composer) - has performed internationally with some of Senegal's most recognized artists, such as Thione Seck, Cheick Lo, Moussa Ngom, Kine Lam, and more.
Arona N’Diaye (keyboard/marimba) - has performed internationally with Ndongo Lo, including his final US tour.
Mahanta Faye (drums) - has performed internationally with Lemzo and others.
Ouseynou Mbaye (vocals) - great singer from the Mbaye family of griots who has performed as lead vocalist with many Senegalese bands.
Pape Seck (percussion/vocals) - has performed internationally with Alouine Mbaye Nder as member of Nder's Setsima Band, and more recently with Sing Sing Rhythm.
Babacar Seck (percussion/tama) - has performed internationally with Alouine Mbaye Nder as member of Nder's Setsima Band, and more recently with Sing Sing Rhythm.
 

Written by DJ Neva
Specialist in World Music

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