Labah Sosseh

Labah Sosseh (March 12, 1943 – September 20, 2007) was a Senegalese and Gambian singer and musician. He was known as the "West African salsa king." cite news |first=|last=|title= Salsa king Labah Sosseh dies|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22456245-12377,00.html|work= The Australian |publisher=|date=2007-09-21 |accessdate=2007-10-01]

Sosseh's career began at the age of 20 when he began playing with group called the African Jazz Band in Gambia. He then moved to the Ivory Coast and formed the Super International Band, based in Abidjan.

Sosseh returned to his native Senegal from the Ivory Coast. There he formed his most famous group, the Star Band. The Star Band's original lineup included singer Youssou N'dour, before N'dour left the band to pursue a successful solo singing career.

Sosseh was greatly influenced by Cuban music. He resided in Cuba for several years. His Cuban inspired music earned Sosseh the nickname of "La voz africana," which means "African voice", in Spanish.

He made history by becoming one of the first African musicians to sell over a million records and have a recording certified gold.

By his own admission, Sosseh revealed that he had fathered 27 children throughout his life in an interview with the Le Nouvel Observateur newspaper.

In a June 2007 interview, Sosseh stated that he had been suffering from a throat infection and had spent time in the hospital. Sosseh died on September 20, 2007 at a clinic in Dakar, Senegal, at the age of 64.

External links

* [http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070920/CPARTS03/709200976/0/CPARTS Labah Sosseh obituary] (French)

References