Any Baka Beyond fans?

[Dagger Gordon]

I am a fan of of the UK based band Baka Beyond, who do the most unlikely fusion of Celtic and African music, specifically with the Baka forest people of Cameroon. This is no token effort, however, as a visit to their web-site would soon tell you. They spend a lot of time living with the Baka, and put a great deal back into their community.

Their leader Martin Cradick is a fantastic guitarist in my view, and sometimes plays mandolin.

Very good live festival band. Any other fans out there?

http://www.myspace.com/bakabeyond

[mandocrucian]

Have only heard them in passing. Might have seen a video of them on LinkTV.

Listened to this, Bayaka: The Extraordinary Music of the BaBenzele Pygmies (http://www.wuftfm.org/The_Caravan_Playlists/Bayaka_info.htm), a great deal. The environmental field recordings edited onto to it by Bernie Krauss adds greatly to the overall effect of the disc beyond the several other pygmy music discs in the collection. Used to put it on at night as a "drift-off" disc. (Good for sauna music too)
http://www.wuftfm.org/The_Caravan_Playlists/bayaka.jpg

[mandolooter]

I love em and have been listening to them for years. The very first CD still gets a lot of playing time and your right Martin Craddock is a awesome guitar and mandolin picker. I would love to catch a live show but Boise isn't on most bands list of places to play.
Thanks for the Myspace link!

[Shelagh Moore]

Hi David,

Yes...I'm a fan of Baka Beyond too.

If you like their crossover style you might also like Tantra from Belgium I (when I lived there I used to play sometimes with their mandolin player, Peter Daems). They claim to be strongly influenced by Baka Beyond.

http://payplay.fm/tantra (Listen to "Tees" for a good example)

http://www.tantramusic.be

Cheers,

Richard

[Paul Cowham]

I saw them at the Trowbridge Village pump festival about 3 years ago and really enjoyed their set :mandosmiley:

[Rob Fowler]

I've got the Baka Beyond "The Meeting Pool", which a great album. I haven't listened to it for a couple of years so I think it's time to put it on!

Thanks for reminding me about this great and unique band!