Star Band de Dakar Vol.1

Despite Senegal’s first president Léopold Sédar Senghor’s hostile stance towards Cuba, the country’s anti-imperialist ideals resonated, especially in places like the Medina, the “local” part of Dakar that stood in stark contrast to the rich French areas.  It is no coincidence then that Star Band de Dakar were born in the Medina’s iconic Miami club, and were among the first to play Cuban music. While they would later increasingly mix Cuban sounds with local styles,  on their first album, Star Band de Dakar Vol.1, the band re-record Cuban classics from the early 50s, giving them a more open, blissed out feel.