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Laba Sosseh (1943-2007)
(The Gambia/Senegal)
Biography
Laba Sosseh has been an important exponent of Senegambian music. Born in the first half of
the 1940s of a Senegalese father and a Gambian mother, Laba was a Senegambian long before the two
countries tried to form a confederation for some years. This is even more true because the Sosseh family was
already split in a Senegal-based wing and a Gambian based wing.
Influenced by Cuban music of the 1940s and 1950s, he was singing for a local orchestra and perfectioning his art. He started to sing since in the Star Band de Dakar, a band created at Senegal's independence in 1960. Several Star Band albums were recorded. He also worked with saxophone player Dexter Johnson in his Super Star de Dakar, a Star Band off-shoot. In the 1970s, Laba moved from Dakar to Abidjan were he sung with the Special Liwanza Band, a band making pure Cuban music, and they recorded together for Abou Lassissi's label Sacodis. Soon, Lassissi took Laba to New York to record the Salsa Africana sessions. In Paris he made an album with Orquesta Aragon. In 1981-82, he recorded two albums in New York again on Roberto Torres' SAR label.
Laba Sosseh mastered salsa music to perfection and he became popular among American salsa incrowd and even among Cubans. In later years, Laba occasionally worked with Africando on their album « Baloba » (1998). He died on 20 September 2007 after a protracted illness.
Influenced by Cuban music of the 1940s and 1950s, he was singing for a local orchestra and perfectioning his art. He started to sing since in the Star Band de Dakar, a band created at Senegal's independence in 1960. Several Star Band albums were recorded. He also worked with saxophone player Dexter Johnson in his Super Star de Dakar, a Star Band off-shoot. In the 1970s, Laba moved from Dakar to Abidjan were he sung with the Special Liwanza Band, a band making pure Cuban music, and they recorded together for Abou Lassissi's label Sacodis. Soon, Lassissi took Laba to New York to record the Salsa Africana sessions. In Paris he made an album with Orquesta Aragon. In 1981-82, he recorded two albums in New York again on Roberto Torres' SAR label.
Laba Sosseh mastered salsa music to perfection and he became popular among American salsa incrowd and even among Cubans. In later years, Laba occasionally worked with Africando on their album « Baloba » (1998). He died on 20 September 2007 after a protracted illness.
Laba Sosseh
Born: 12 March 1943, as Laba Badara Sosseh in Banjul, Gambia
Style: african salsa
Discography
| Title | Year | Label | Remarks |
| La belle époque: Vol.1 | 2011 | Syllart Productions 000989 | 2 CD |
| Classic Titles | 2010 | Cantos | CD compilation |
| Sessions extraordinaires, Vol. 3 | 2009 | Bellot Records | Compilation, withSuper Star de Dakar |
| Sessions extraordinaires, Vol. 2 | 2009 | Bellot Records | Compilation, withSuper Star de Dakar |
| Sessions extraordinaires, Vol. 1 | 2009 | Bellot Records | Compilation, withSuper Star de Dakar |
| El Maestro: 40 Ans de Salsa... | 2001 | Africa Production 00022-2 | CD compilation |
| Le roi de la salsa (Boni Boni/ Sitierra) | 1983 | Disques Espérance ESP 165 557 | LP |
| Le roi de la salsa | 1983 | Disques Espérance ESP 165 556 | LP |
| Laba Sosseh | 1982 | SAR Productions SAR 1029 | LP |
| Roberto Torres presenta a Laba Sosseh | 1981 | SAR Productions SAR 1020 | LP |
| Con l'Orquesta Aragon | 198? | Disco Stock 210 | LP |
| Salsa Africana vol. 4: Lassisi presents Laba Sosseh | 1980 | Sacodis LS 38 | |
| Salsa Africana vol. 2: Monguito el Unico Presents Laba Sosseh | 1980 | Sacodis LS 27 | |
| Salsa Africana vol. 1: Monguito el Unico Presents Laba Sosseh | 1980 | Sacodis LS 26 | |
| El Sonero de Africa vol.3 « Guantanamera » | 19?? | MAG 104 | |
| El Sonero de Africa vol.2 « El Manisero » | 19?? | MAG 103 | |
| El Sonero de Africa vol.1 « Que se funan » | 19?? | MAG 102 | |
| Formidable Laba Sosseh | 1977 | Sacodis LS 5-77 | withSpecial Liwanza Band |
| El Sonero de Africa | 1976 | N'Dardisc 33.14 |
Sources
Diverses internet sources, such as obsolete links (http://musiquetropique.com/Cote_dIvoire.html, www.thepoint.gm)
[link to www.bolingo.org...] [retrieved September 2007]
[link to Forest Beat/Desert Jazz (www.fbdj.net)...] [retrieved September 2007]
Diverses internet sources, such as obsolete links (http://musiquetropique.com/Cote_dIvoire.html, www.thepoint.gm)
[link to www.bolingo.org...] [retrieved September 2007]
[link to Forest Beat/Desert Jazz (www.fbdj.net)...] [retrieved September 2007]
Page added September 2007