Another great Baobab has fallen. Rudy Gomis, one of Orchestra Baobab s founding members and lead singers, died this past week, aged 75. He was born in 1946 in the Casamance region of Senegal. In Dakar, he joined the famed Star band in the late 60 s, where he met his fellow Casamance singer Balla Sidibé. Together in 1970, they were recruited for the newly opened Club Baobab’s house band, joined there by saxophonist Issa Cissokho, singer Laye Mboup, guitarist Barthélémy Attisso and bassist Charlie Ndiaye. The wonderful singer Laye Mboup died tragically in a car accident in 1974, but Rudy Gomis, along with the other four musicians went on to long lasting careers with Orchestra Baobab until 1987 when the group disbanded. All reunited in 2001 when European reissues of their 70 s and 80 s releases on Stern s and World Circuit proved to be big hits. They went on to tour and release more recordings, the most recent in 2017. Rudy Gomis was the 2nd last surviving founding member of Baobab.