Orchestra Baobab

Senegalese band Orchestra Baobab, formed in Dakar in the 1970s, bring their Afro-Cuban and West African sound to the Royal Festival Hall in London.

Orchestra Baobab are a Senegalese band formed in Dakar in the 1970s, blending Afro-Cuban jazz and Cuban sound with African sounds, soul and jazz influences. Their first album, Adduna Jarul Naawo, was released in 1975. The band have been running for over 50 years, and their line-up combines veteran musicians with newer members.

The material names Thierno Koité, Moussa Sissokho and Yahya Fall as members who continue the band's tradition, alongside younger players. Their music is built on rhythmic drive, melodic vocals and brass arrangements, and the group draws on influences from across West Africa and beyond.

The concert takes place at the Royal Festival Hall, a London venue that hosts concerts and shows. The evening is aimed at listeners who know the band's catalogue as well as those discovering their Afro-Cuban and Senegalese grooves for the first time.