Pape and Cheikh
Senegal
Childhood friends Pape and Cheikh are from Senegal, where they grew up listening to their country's traditional music as well as to such western singer-songwriters as Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, and Simon and Garfunkel.
They emerged from their studies at Dakar Conservatoire as a vocal duo, with music that is both beautiful and socially resonant -- and has garnered major recognition in West Africa and subsequently in England and beyond. They were selected for the juried Globalfest event during New York City's annual Arts Presenters conference, where they performed to critical acclaim.
Their Real World debut, Mariama, is a coherent and charming slice of Africa, both traditional and modern, brimming with funky rhythms, poignant melodies, and their distinctive harmonic chemistry.
