1. Bul Ma Miin
2. Sutukun
3. Dee Moo Woor
4. Jiin Ma Jiin Ma
5. Ndongoy Daara
6. On Verra Ga
7. Hommage A Tonton Ferrer (featuring Ibrahim Ferrer & Youssou N'Dour)
8. El Son Te Lama
9. Gnawoe
Amazon.com
It's ironic that Youssou N'Dour coproduced Specialist in All Styles. After all, it was the emergence of N'Dour's upbeat mbalax music in the early '80s that hurried the passing of Orchestra Baobab, which had been the most popular band in Senegal for 10 years. Baobab's Afro-Latin blend was unique, but it sounded like fond memory next to the in-your-face mbalax. Following up the reissue in 2002 of the legendary 1982 album Pirates Choice, Baobab has returned to active duty after a 15-year hiatus. Specialist features many of the original members and recaptures the classic sound. The band revives great older Baobab songs like "On Verra Ça" and "Ndongoy Daara," brings in a few folk tunes, and rounds out the album with strong new material. "Homage A Tonton Ferrer" is a rollicking vocal tour de force featuring Cuba's Ibrahim Ferrer and N'Dour. Moreover, the band is tight throughout, with fantastic solos coming from guitarist Barthelemy Attisso and saxophonist Issa Cissoko. --Tad Hendrickson
Album Description
The reissue of Dakar band's 1982 world music classic Pirates Choice (early 2002), was a breakout success in the UK, Europe and the US. So much so, in fact, that the response sparked a reunion, a tour and a return to the studio to record Specialist In All Styles, the group's first new album in 15 years. 9 tracks. Slipcase. World Circuit. 2002.
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Specialist in All Styles
- Audio CD: 0 pages (2002-10-08)
- Publisher: Nonesuch
- Label: Nonesuch
- Studio: Nonesuch
- Average Customer Review:
 based on 19 reviews
- Sales Rank in Music: #32026
Avg. Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: The place to start 2008-08-24
Comment: I've been digging this band and its suave, slinky Afro-Cuban sound since I downloaded "Bamba" over at eMusic. I can't get enough of this music, especially the inventive guitar playing of Barthélemy Attisso and the mellow saxophone of Issa Cissoko. I've downloaded this album, "Pirate's Choice" and "Made In Dakar" from Amazon and think they're all great, but if you haven't heard this band before, this is the album I would get first. Made after the band had reformed after a fifteen year layoff, it includes several new versions of their best songs and features fine guest vocals from Youssou N'Dour and Ibrahim Ferrer. The band sounds like they really missed playing together and these new versions sparkle with joy, enthusiasm and verve, plus the recording quality is much better than on the classic tracks.
If you're unsure, I would suggest you head over to the band's My Space page and check out some of their videos, especially the Letterman show appearance with Dave Matthews and Trey Anastasio. But trust me, if you like exciting, high quality music and are looking for something different, you need to check out this band.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Majestic music!! 2006-07-20
Comment: I was only recently introduced to the music of Orchestra Baobab and what a fantastic discovery their music is!
Formed in Senegal in 1970, the group took its name from a nightclub they performed at, named after the Baobab tree found in the African savannah, and renowned for its majesty and endurance, qualities the band shares.
Their musical style sounds to me like a fusion of Cuban, and African Highlife music; loads of prominent melodic guitars, horns (especially explosive sax), and rich percussion. The lyrics (on this CD) are largely in Wolof and French, dealing with themes including anti corruption messages, a dying parent, and the importance of having integrity. However, music, especially this beautiful, is a universal language.
`Specialist In All Styles' is their first CD in 20 years, co produced by Youssou N'Dour, the album comprises 9 tracks - mostly reworked versions of their classics with a few new songs thrown in - with a rich, live (it was recorded live over 10 days) party feel to the sound. The CD comes in either a yellow cover (shown here) or blue.
Tunes range from the very rhythmic upbeat guitar driven opening cut `Bul Ma Miin', the downtempo `Sutukun' with lovely guitar licks, the very Latin sounding `Jiin Ma Jiin Ma', the gently shuffling `Hommage À Tonton Ferrer' features Ibrahim Ferrer & Youssou N'Dour, and the more upbeat Cuban sounding horn filled `El Son Te Llama'.
A beautiful CD, and a worthy addition to any music collection.
0 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Cuban music with African vocal overtones 2004-09-01
Comment: Orchestra Baobob is an old band - they've been around well over 20 years, and the Latin tinge is both unusual and powerful, here, setting their music apart from competitors and creating a niche all their own.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Slightly Overrated 2003-12-01
Comment: Unless this is your only O.B. album, there's some filler here. Hommage A Tonton Ferrer is essentially a shorter version (with different lyrics) of Utrus Horas, the first track on Pirates Choice, and the longer version is better played and more hypnotic. El Son Te Llama is a faster, shorter cover of the better-played version from On Verra Ca. (The original version, by the way, is also available on Putumayo Presents Afro-Latino, an excellent compilation.) The remaining seven songs are quite good and offer plenty of variety. One only wishes O.B. could have re-entered the studio, after so many years, with totally original material.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: A legendary (if unknown) Senagalese band 2003-07-20
Comment: I was visiting Quebec City in mid-July and Orchestra Baobab happened to be playing live at the Quebec City Music Festival. It was an extraordinary electric guitar/saxophone sound with soaring vocals. Although the crowd was French, the music was universal. Orchestra Baobab absolutely blew the doors off the joint. A great live experience based on material from "Specialist In All Styles." You won't go wrong listening to this music.
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Specialist in All Styles
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