THE only West African musician to feature in the SA Music Awards, Senegal’s Ismael Lo’s popularity in the sub continent has grown from strength-to-strength since his first Re-connection tour of SA in 1995.

Although Senegalese by nationality, Lo was born in Niger of a Nigerian mother and a Senegalese father, it’s easier to describe Ismael Lo as a West African than to pin him to national boundaries.

So too with the music of this multi-instrumentalist, which draws on influences including the Wolof and Mandingo cultures of West Africa and the R&B, folk and south music of the West.

Lo has created a modern mbalax sound and an identity as a songwriter with words and message for a modern Africa.

He began his musical career as a solo singer, performing with guitar and harmonica before joining the group Super Diamano de Dakar, as lead vocalist and guitarist in 1979.

Lo spent 1979 – 1984 with Super Diamano, before opting for a solo career. He then spent time studying in Spain and France, and recorded three albums including Tajabone for the French label, Barclay.

The album Iso recorded in 1994, and produced by top Parisian producer, Ibrahima Sylla for Island/Mango France spawned one of Lo’s biggest hits ‘Dibi Dibi Rek’.

In July 1998, he performed briefly at Nelson Mandela’s 80th birthday celebrations in Johannesburg and in the Jazz Africa Festival in Cape Town. Subsequent visits have included Cape Town, Johannesburg and Bloemfontein.

Most recently, he performed at the Macufe Festival in Witbank, in November 2006, and the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in March 2007.

He made a solo appearance at the Positive Rocks show at Sun City in June 2007.

For further information contact:
Antos Stella
AS Entetainment
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it