Thione Seck

Thione Ballago Seck (born March 12, 1955) is a Senegalese singer and musician in the mbalakh genre. Seck comes from a family of "griot" singers from the Wolof people of Senegal. His first job was with Orchestre Baobab, but he later formed his own band, Raam Daan, which he still heads. Seck's album Orientation was one of four nominated for BBC Radio 3's World Music Album of the Year in 2006. In much of his music, and notably on this album, Seck experiments with the use of Indian & Arabic scales. This supplements his laid back vocals and the band's intense sabar driven rhythms, and displaces the band's more usual guitars, horns, and synthesizers. This album was made in collaboration with a range of more than 40 North African, Arab, and Indian musicians, playing diverse instruments and creating a fusion of styles. Seck has stated that Bollywood films were a longstanding musical influence for him, and the experiment in a fusion style reflects this. Other albums include XV Anniversary Live! (his second international release) and Daaly. He contributed "Laye M'Boup," a tribute to the late Orchestre Baobab leader, to The Music In My Head soundtrack. Seck also wrote "Entends-tu le monde?" which was the lead single from Australian singer Tina Arena's seventh studio album 7 vies. In May 2015, at the age of 60, he was indicted by the Senegalese courts. Thione Seck was arrested on May 27 in the evening, at his home in Dakar by the gendarmerie and placed in custody following an investigation into significant transactions in foreign currencies, involving his entourage and family, according to various local media, who reported the discovery in his house of large sums of counterfeit euro and dollar notes. On June 2, 2015, he was placed under a detention warrant and was sent to the Rebeuss Central Prison in downtown Dakar. On February 12, 2016, he was granted temporary liberty to return to his home. In March 2016, his son Seydina Alioune Seck was incarcerated because he was suspected of being involved in the same affair as his father.