Chadal is the name of a Sardinian-Senegalese band, created as part of an international cooperation project, organized by Cherimus in collaboration with Kër Thiossane, ville pour l’art et le multimedia, based in Dakar and Orchestre National du Sénégal. The project’s idea was to strengthen and deepen the dialogue between Sardinian and Senegalese people, the latter representing the largest African community within the Italian island.
Sardinian guitar player Alberto Balia, launeddas Player Andrea Pisu, trumpeter Riccardo Pittau and pianist Matteo Scano met in Dakar with songwriters Bah Moody and Marcel Diabia Ndong, Balafon player Sidi Koita, xalam player Alioune Ndiaye, kora player Baka Cissokho, bass player Alassane Cissè and collaborated in creating a new band and a new album.
Chadal debuted in Dakar on May 20, 2011, before embarking on a concert tour across Sardinia and the North of Italy. The visionary set of the concerts was created during a series of workshops held in Dakar in collaboration with visual artist Abdoulaye Cysso Manee, Espace Enfants de la Maison de la Culture Douta Seck and École Mamour Diakhate, classe CPB as well as in several small towns of Sulcis, where both Sardinian and Senegalese children also built traditional instruments from their respective regions and exchanged them.
