Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2025 – Orchestra Baobab | Annie & The Caldwells

Orchestra Baobab

Founded in 1970 in Dakar, Orchestra Baobab is more than just a band—it is an institution, a cornerstone of African music. Initially a club formation inspired by the Afro-Cuban fever that swept through West Africa, Baobab quickly forged a unique style, blending Mandinka, Wolof, and Serer sounds with Latin rhythms and timeless elegance. From their first golden era to their remarkable resurgence in the early 2000s, led by Nick Gold (Buena Vista Social Club), the band has continuously reinvented its legacy, captivating each generation with its hypnotic groove.

Seven years of waiting—an eternity. But Orchestra Baobab never returns without reason. Made In Sénégal, set for release in October 2025, is more than just an album; it is a love letter to Senegal, to its roots, and its musical future.

Always balancing tradition and modernity, Baobab’s strings and brass resonate with the rhythms of an entire nation. From Casamance to Fouta, from Dakar to Saint-Louis, each track explores a different facet of Senegalese musical heritage. From the intimate clubs of Dakar to the world’s biggest stages, Orchestra Baobab has seen and lived it all. But this new album—blending swaying rumba, Mandinka sounds, and Afro-Cuban echoes—reminds us of one essential truth: their music is eternal.

Annie & The Caldwells

Annie & The Caldwells are a family from Mississippi that plays a powerful disco soul, led by mother Ms. Annie Caldwell. Their music won’t only move you spiritually but emotionally as well—with songs that are as much at home in a church of God as in the church of the dance floor.

Their incredible first single, Wrong, was released on January 15—and a new remix by disco legend Nicky Siano was released on February 25. Their new album Can’t Lose My (Soul) [Luaka Bop, 2025] is 40 years in the making and has already gotten rave reviews in MOJO and The Guardian.

Ms. Annie is backed by daughters Deborah and Anjessica, and goddaughter Toni Rivers; their eldest son Willie Jr. is on the bass and youngest son Abel Aquirius is on the drums. Their father and Annie’s husband of the last fifty years, Willie Joe Caldwell, Sr, is on guitar.

SPECIAL EFFECTS: This production may contain Strobe Lighting, Flashing Lights, Smoke and Haze.

AGE GUIDANCE: Strictly 18+.

*Performance schedule and times are subject to change and may be affected by illness or events beyond the producers’ or venues’ control. Performers, dates, times, prices, and fees are subject to change without notice.