Gambia: Demise of a Legendary Musician

Gambia: Demise of a Legendary Musician

FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)

27 September 2007
Posted to the web 26 September 2007

Fabakary B. Ceesay

Little do the young generation of Gambians know about the Late Labba Sosseh but the generations that lived in the 60s, 70s and early 80s know and say a lot about him and his "salsa" music that he devoted his life to.

Mr. Labba Sosseh was born in Banjul in 1943 to Mrs. Aja Jankey (Mariama) Mbaye and Dembo Corah Sosseh. His mother is the daughter of Imam Tafsir Demba Mbaye. His father was a driver for the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). At the age of ten, at primary three the young Labba Sosseh moved with his parents to Dakar, Senegal where his father was promoted to the rank of a signalman at the railways. He continued his education in French until he graduated at the secondary school level. The young Labba decided to return home and got involved in the evening musical Jamboree at "foyer francais" at the hill and Leman Street Junction in Banjul. The "African band" then emerged and Labba joined the band with musicians like Badou Jobe, Ousainou Senghore, and many others.

Labba later decided to return to Senegal where he net one Kasse (Alieu Kasse's father) of the Star Band and a Ghanain Saxophonist called Dexter Jonhson. He rose to be a leading singer in the "Star Band". He was able to sing in diverse languages; Spanish, Wollof and occasionally in French. He became a famous singer in Afro-Cuban music. Mr. Sosseh moved to Cote d'Ivoire as a freelance musician and sang with different bands. Mr. Sosseh then moved to New York with a band call broadways "salsa orchestra."

He became so famous in "Salsa" music that he moved to Cuba. He had a duet with a top Cuban band called Aragon. According to his mother, Labba Sosseh was an artist since his tender age. His mother recalled back in Dakar when Labba used to gather his age mates to drum sing and dance. The mum asserted that Labba never got involved in other youthful activities other than musical affairs. Mr. Labba Sosseh according to family members never abandoned his Gambian citizenship. They noted that wherever he went he stood like a proud Gambian. His mother said the last time he came home was to change his expired Gambian passport.

Mr. Sosseh was said to have married many wives including a Chinese citizen. He was said to have fathered more than 25 daughters and sons worldwide. One of his daughters is said to be a lawyer in Senegal. Mr. Labba Sosseh passed away in Dakar on Tuesday 18th September. His funeral was among the largest burial in Senegal. It was attended by many artists, government dignitaries and the Cuban Ambassador.