AWALÉ – London-based band Awalé returns with a new sound, Senegalese soul. Biram Seck’s soaring voice evokes messages of love and peace, underpinned by heavenly poly-rhythm groove explorations. Intense and spiritual Sabar Senegalese percussion and Afro-Latin drums conversations, weaving intricate guitar patterns and horn lines with catchy bass riffs. Like a spinning kaleidoscope of sounds, each tune travels on a varied musical journey, from afrobeat to soul, deep Afro-jazz to Latin. Awalé is on a mission to experience happiness together in these fractured times.
‘A truly magical and uplifting cross-cultural collaboration, bringing together Afro-latin, funk and soul elements with a Senegalese twist. The wonderful voice of Biram Seck and Thibaut Remy’s compositions make for an unmissable combo. Must See!’ - Tim Garcia (Jazz FM/Musica Macondo)
‘Most Impressive, echoes a lot of greats like Orchestra Baobab and Youssou N’Dour but with very much it’s own sound’ - Jamie Renton (DJ, fROOTS)
"I love music because it is a means of communicating ideas to broaden minds and build an integrated world... a world of peace.” Says Awale Jant Band singer Birame Seck.
Senegalese singer and songwriter Seck founded Awale Jant Band with French guitarist and producer Thibaut Remy in London on 2017.
Seck is the son of a Gawlo (storyteller) and grandson of a master xalam (guitar/banjo) player.
Thibaut is a self taught musician influenced by blues, jazz and african guitar styles. Relying primarily on feeling, he says, “When I heard Birame singing it reminded me of an American soul singer, though he is a Senegalese soul singer… We’d like people to feel our music joining the dots between cultures.”
The name Awale Jant Band is a combination of Birame Seck’s Jant Band and Thibaut Remy’s London group Awale - a collective of African, French, British and Senegalese musicians performing for the last 10 years in London. In Wolof, it means “Let the sun pass through”. And literally this is their mission, to uplift people with their music.
They are very excited to be bringing new music out, to be released in 2025. To this effect, they have an exciting collaboration with Senegalese musicians bassist El Hadj Ndire, pianist Ibou Tall, drummers Seydou Kienous from Ivory Coast, Badou Ndiaye (Cheikh Lo) and percussionist Medoune Ndiaye (Thionne Seck). The music is Senegalese soul music, Funk, Latin Jazz, Afrobeat, Mbalax and Blues.
Imagine Youssou N’dour, Fela Kuti and then some desert blues.
To achieve this live and on record, they have a tight band of world class musicians:
Michael Idowu on bass from Nigeria.
Kaw Secka, master percussionist from Gambia (Fofoulah).
Ben Brown on drums (Mulatu Astatke, Waaju).
John Martin on tenor saxophone.
George Jefford on trumpet.