How it all began....

The birth of Baka Beyond and Baka Gbiné

Baka Beyond was founded in 1993 after British musicians Martin Cradick and Su Hart had visited the Baka tribal people of the Cameroon forests the year before after seeing a TV documentary.

So inspired were they by the magical rhythms and melodies of the Baka people, that they recorded an album "Spirit of the Forest" under the name Baka Beyond which pushed them into worldwide recognition. Since then, the band has evolved into a multicultural, dynamic live stage show with album sales of over a quarter of a million copies and their sixth album, 'Rhythm Tree' released in March last year.

They have played at WOMAD in the UK, USA and Czech Republic and on the Jazz Stage at Glastonbury; Musica Mondial in Sao Paulo, Brazil and many more festivals in the UK, USA, France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal as well as headlining the Vancouver Folk-Roots Festival. Their tracks are often heard on TV soundtracks, particularly in nature programmes on BBC and Channel 4 and have been nominated for the BBC Radio 3 World Music listeners awards.

"It was the amazing bird-like singing or 'yelli' that first attracted me," says Su Hart, Baka Beyond's lead singer. "The women get together before the dawn to sing, enchant the animals of the forest and ensure that the men's hunting will be successful. Song and dance are used by the Baka for healing, for rituals, for keeping the community together and also for pure fun! We try to do the same in Baka Beyond."

Baka Gbiné was formed as a result of the ongoing relationship with Martin and Su. On each visit to the Baka's forest home, they took another guitar and on each visit more people had learned to play really well. "I was astounded at how proficient so many people had become," said Martin, Baka Beyond's guitarist, "I think it's because to survive in the rainforest you have to learn to listen, whereas almost everywhere else our brains learn to filter out sound. Being a musician is 90% about listening which is why the Baka are so phenomenally musical and can pick up new instruments so quickly."

By 2000 they had formed their own band and were being invited to play at local feasts, weddings and funerals in the Cameroon. After recording their album "Gati Bongo" they decided upon the name "Baka Gbiné" (Gbiné translated means 'help').

The band includes guitarists Pelembir, Mbeh and Zow, percussionist Masekou, two women - Ybunga and Lekeweh - who will bring the phenomenal 'yelli' singing to the concerts, and traditional musician and ieta master, Metouli, who can have all his Baka audience rolling around in hysterics as he sings the traditional "likano" stories.

Giving back to the Baka

Baka Beyond is one of the few groups who ensure that they put as much back into the culture that inspires their music as they take out. Royalties earned by the sale of the albums are channelled back to the Baka Pygmies through the UK based charity Global Music Exchange - or as the Baka call it, 'One Heart'. This ongoing relationship with the Baka community has helped them to win land rights and recognition as Cameroonian citizens as well as the funding of their own medical centre and a beautiful Music House. These steps all help to protect the Baka's culture, forest environment and unique hunter-gatherer way of life.

"We now feel very much part of the family," says Martin. "Since we keep returning, they have seen positive changes to their lives as a result of the money they have earned with their own music. A great sense of trust has built up, and they are very keen for us to spread their music and rhythms as far as possible."

Martin has also used these journeys to experiment with different recording systems to capture the true spirit of their music against the natural backdrop of the rainforest.

"The original idea of 'Spirit of the Forest' was to recreate the mood of the music sessions that take place many afternoons and most evenings in the forest," says Martin. "However none of the recordings really touches the raw energy that is present in the forest where everyone, young and old, would be taking part. It just isn't possible in Britain to find the same atmosphere, especially in a studio."

The building of the Music House has created a more permanent base in the rainforest, which has opened up many more possibilities for recording. In Jan 2004, Martin took a solar panel, battery and a multi track system out with him so that the Baka's music could be captured live - and the result is the stunning 'Gati Bongo' album.

Who are the Baka Pygmies?

For the Baka, the forest is mother, father and guardian and music is an intrinsic part of their lives. They have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the forest and its products, including the healing power of the plants and as such have become guardians of this huge natural pharmacy.

For others, including the international logging companies, it is a resource to be exploited and the Baka are being unceremoniously pushed out as part of this conflict of interests. Baka culture is totally dependent on their continued unrestricted access to the rainforest and it seems a travesty that the Baka, one of the few remaining peoples living a truly ancient life, in touch with nature and their planet which they revere, are being squeezed out of their ancient forests and denied their lifestyle.

In a recent BBC World Service interview with Mbeh, one of the Baka guitarists, he said: "We are born and grew up in the forest; we do everything in the forest, gathering, hunting and fishing. Now where do they want us to make our lives? We are prevented from using the forest. Where are we supposed to live our lives?"

As a result of recent publicity, the WWF, who have been setting up major conservation zones in the area, have done a U-turn and are recognising that the Baka have as much right as the animals to use areas of forest previously denied to them.

The UK Spring tour gave the Baka a wider voice internationally as well as giving them more confidence to stand up for their rights at home. A tour of European festivals will strengtheen this. Their story is so intriguing that a TV production company is planning to make a documentary about their plight and a documentary on their trip to UK and return home was shown by Canal 2 throughout Francophone Africa.

The tour

Before their tour in the Spring of 2006 most of Baka Gbiné had only been out of the forest when Martin took them to perform at the British High Commissioner's residence to Cameroonian Government ministers. Some had not been out of the forest at all. On the tour they performed traditional and new songs and joined Baka Beyond in performing songs from the band's latest album, 'Rhythm Tree'. Considering it was their first trip abroad their stagecraft and musicianship was amazing.

"For years they've asked me why I can go to Cameroon, but they can't visit us in England" says Martin. "I have always put them off, not wanting to create a Pygmy circus, but now that the Baka have created their own association, their own band and have recorded their own album, and are achieving such positive results back in Cameroon, the time seemed right. At last I'll be able to repay the amazing hospitality they have shown me whilst staying with them.

"The hardest part was deciding who could come. We are limited by the budget, and we have had to leave behind some excellent singers and dancers. The Arts Council has helped, but we still brought more people than we could really afford. But it was worth it!"

pictures
Baka Beyond Biography
Press Release
Tour dates
listen to Baka Beyond and Baka Gbiné