BAKA BEYOND:-

East to West - reviews

"Q" - June 2002

Spirited folk from Celtic-African genre-benders

Baka Beyond took their name and many of their influences from the Cameroonian pygmies with whom the band's leader, Martin Cradick, lived and played in the 1990s. But with the exception of the opening Awaya Baka, it's Celtic rather than African material that dominates the new album. On the instrumental side, Cradick introduces Uilleann pipes into a clutch of zesty dance tunes, underscored by galloping African percussion, occasional kora and balafon. The slower tracks, songs such as Braighe Locheil and Silver Whistle, feature fine singing and an air of misty melancholy while Dance Of The Wandering Spirit mixes up the medicine with a spirited cocktail of folk jiggery and Baka melodies.
Chris Stapleton
*** (3 stars)

"Folk Roots" - July 2002

It's been a decade now since Baka Beyond introduced their distinctive African-Celtic crossover to the world, and here on their fifth album they sound in very rude health indeed. Bandleader Martin Cradick has been back to the Congo rainforest to record the Baka people (stick this enhanced CD in your computer and have a look at the video clip for evidence). Their voices and percussion can be heard on the jaunty opener Awaya Baka and on Wandering Spirit, which also features new-boy uilleann piper Alan Burton, bringing another Celtic flavour to the band. All in all the Celtic influence is pretty strong this time round, with a reel from Cornwall and some songs from Scotland (including the haunting A Thousand Curses On Love). But there's a constant clatter of percussion keeping the African side of things alive. As well as Burton, kora-man about town Seckou Keita also makes his debut with the band proper (having already appeared as a third of the spin-off trio Ete). He mainly serves as a part of the percussion section, but also gets to bring out the kora a few times, most notably on the closing Silver Whistle. For the rest it's Baka Beyond business as usual: light, melodic songs, fiery playing and a charm all of their own. There's really no one else around doing it quite like this.
Jamie Renton

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