He laughs as he calls himself the Morricone of Africa. The singer / guitarist / composer Wasis Diop, who came from Senegal and emigrated to Paris in the late 1980s, is a much sought-after film composer. His soundtrack for the film Hyènes by his brother Djibril Diop Mambety sounded so personal that it is also considered his debut album. By traveling (including to Japan and Jamaica, where he met Lee
… 'Scratch' Perry) and making music with artists of various genres, Diop developed his own eclectic musical language, free from certain musical traditions or African clichés such as drum music. In his dreamy, atmospheric and cinematic music, he seeks more the silence of the African countryside, such as the rustling of the wind and the scent of red earth. The only thing typically Senegalese, is the language used by Diop: in Wolof he sings with his deep, sensual bass voice in poetic and metaphorical terms about the things in life. Judu Bék is Diop's fourth album: the title means: 'the joy of life'. In images (black and white photos with Senegalese people) and music, Diop takes us on a nostalgic, intimate journey through his thoughts about life and memories of Senegal. (SvdP)more
