Ismael Lo

Ismael Lo grew up primarily in Senegal, but American soul music was his constant companion: Wilson Picket, Etta James, James Brown saturated the radio waves. Inspired by what he heard, he taught himself to play guitar and harmonica and played regularly for friends and family. He never considered music a career until a family connection got him a spot on a local television show. The crowd response to him was so strong, Lo decided to devote himself to music and he joined the mbalax group Super Diamono de Dakar, whom he played with until going solo in the 1980s.