The Sounds of Dakar

In the Senegalese capital of Dakar, music is everywhere. Amidst the din of the city’s pulsating street life, you’ll find roadside musicians hammering out complicated polyrhythms on the kashaka—a type of shaker—and the balafon, a centuries-old xylophone-like instrument. After the sun sets, head to one of many bars and clubs to see the best of the country’s famous mbalax dance music alongside local interpretations of hip hop, reggae, and jazz.