“You’re ready to take off for Dakar!!!” These are the opening words of Omar Mbaye, who arrives on stage wearing white pants and a patterned African shirt. With his guitar, he is accompanied by two backing singers, including one called Amina, a keyboardist, a drummer, a bassist and a percussionist who acts as host at times. No sooner had he taken to the stage than he asked us to sing along.
The Loto Québec stage wasn’t very busy at the start of the show by the Senegalese newcomer to Montreal, but that wasn’t the case at the end. Although a little shy at the start of the concert, festival-goers loosened up as the show went on.
“This song is about protecting and educating children. I’m an ambassador for this cause,” he announces at the outset.
He puts his guitar aside for his second track, which he dedicates to all the mothers of the world. The song is gentle, and you can already hear the beginnings of a light Mbalax. He takes the opportunity to get us dancing, asking us to follow his steps.
It’s on the third track that he reveals his penchant for reggae and dancehall, which is sure to get the audience moving. The percussionist manages to set the mood, and uses a stick to tap his djembe, accentuating the sound and giving it a Senegalese feel.
The weather was perfect for the second day of the Nuits d’Afrique outdoor festival, and a few Senegalese could be seen cheering on their compatriot. A number of benches and chairs were available for some of the older festival-goers who wanted to enjoy the show without having to stand the whole time.
My favorite track is the one he sings with Amina, the backing singer, who sings her parts in English. Perhaps a translation of the lyrics by Omar Mbaye, who sings in Wolof? In any case, he chooses to end the show with a return to Mbalax, the musical style we talked about at length with Def Mama Def during my interview with them. By the end of the show, we had landed in Dakar, thanks to Omar Mbaye.
