Friday, September 7, 2018

Fifty Years of Xalam



About ten years ago I devoted a post to the Senegalese jazz/funk group Xalam, then celebrating their fortieth anniversary. It seems that Xalam is still around, and going strong! So next year will mark the fiftieth anniversary of this very influential combo.

Xalam has been a home for many Senegalese musicians who have gone on to acheive fame as solo artists and session musicians. Among these are founding members Seydina Insa WadeIdrissa Diop and Cheikh Tidiane Tall. As well, the group has opened for Western acts including Crosby, Still and Nash and Robert Plant. Xalam's percussionists were featured on the Rolling Stones' 1983 LP Undercover.

Here's a video of the group with the legendary Senegalese percussionist Doudou Ndiaye Rose:



And here for your listening pleasure is Xalam's 1993 cassette Samanka. Enjoy!







Download Samanka as a zipped file here.


4 comments:

  1. Thank you very much...
    I remembered again Xalam after 9 years. Thanks a lot!!!

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  2. Thanks a lot for this tape. I have a small request to make. It's from Cape Verde by Cabo Verde Show. Do you, by any chance, have Estrellas de Cabo Verde and Nova's Alegria in tape?

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  3. Sorry, I don't have those ones. I do have an album by Abel Lima that I'll probably post at some point.

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  4. It's all right. I am looking forward to see the Abel Lima album. Thanks a lot.

    ReplyDelete