Cheick Tidiane Seck

Cheick Tidiane Seck has taken his time releasing his first solo album after a thirty-year career. The Malian pianist cut his teeth in the 1970s with Bamako's illustrious Super Rail Band, where he rubbed shoulders with Salif Keita and Mory Kante. It was with Salif Keita and Les Ambassadeurs that he arrived in Paris in 1985. Cheick Tidiane Seck became a highly-rated pianist, playing with Wayne Shorter, Carlos Santana and Randy Weston. In 1995, he released Sarala, a hybrid of jazz and African music recorded with Hank Jones. In 2003, Cheick Tidiane Seck released his first solo album, Mandingroove. Now a pivotal figure on the Malian music scene, Cheick Tidiane Seck released Sabaly in 2008, featuring collaborations with everyone from Dee Dee Bridgewater to Sory Bamba. In March 2013, while his country was being torn apart by a war with blurred outlines, Cheick Tidiane Seck released the militant Guerrier . In December 2013, he shares the bill with Rockin' Squat for Assassin Live Band.