Spirit of the Forest.nfo
Artist : Baka Beyond
Album : Spirit of the Forest
Source : cd
Year : 1993
Genre : world / fusion
Encoder : AudioGrabber 1.62
Codec : MP3enc3.1
Bitrate : 160K/s 44100Hz Stereo
ID3-Tag : ID3v2.3
Ripped by : unknown
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From the back of the CD:
At the beginning of 1992, Martin Cradick and
his wife Su Hart lived with the Baka pygmies
deep in the forest near the Cameroon/Congo
border. The only trappings of modern
"civilization" they had with them were a tent,
drawing and recording equipment, a camera, a
guitar and a mandolin.
They spent much of each day playing music
with the Baka and recording their music. This
album is a mixture of the music written in the
forest with the Baka, versions of songs that the
Baka sang and music written since returning,
inspired by the music from the forest.
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Ripped with AudioGrabber1.62 @44khz-16bit-Stereo
DAE (Dynamic Sync Width extraction method)
Encoded with MP3enc3.1 @160kbps-44khz-Stereo-qual 6
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01) Spirit of the Forest (5:26)
The singing at the beginning is sung by the women
to call the animals to the hunt. It was recorded
deep in the forest one night before dawn. The
percussion was recorded in our camp during one of
the many music sessions.
Vocal: unidentified Baka woman deep in the forest
Martin Cradick: guitar, mandolin, ndenge, samples
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02) The Man Who Danced Too Slowly (6:03)
According to Baka mythology the original people
on Earth were all changed into animals. Each
animal shows a different human trait, and one, a
kind of large millipede, is the descendant of a man
who danced too slowly.
Su Hart & Martin Cradick: voices
Martin Cradick: guitar, mandolin, percussion
Paddy LeMercier: violin
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03) Ngombi (4:49)
The ngombi is a stringed instrument made from the
raphia palm. This piece is a guitar improvisation
around one of Bounaka's songs.
Bounaka: ngombi
Martin Cradick: guitar, ndenge
Paddy LeMercier: violin, flutes
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04) Baka Play Baka (6:54)
This song was inspired by hearing a limbindi. I
recorded it originally with "Outback" for the Baka
album on Hannibal Records. After hearing about it
the Baka were very keen to play it with me so I
recorded them playing the percussion part and used it
for this recording. N'daweh, Bounaka's wife, calls
the changes in a typical Baka fashion.
N'daweh: voice
Martin Cradick: guitars, mandolin, ndenge,
percussion samples
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05) Nahwia (5:11)
This is based on a recording made of Nahwia playing
the limbindi accompanied by Martin on guitar.
Nahwia: limbindi
Martin Cradick: guitar, mandolin, percussion samples
Paddy LeMercier: flutes
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There is no difference in the Baka language between
percussion track is typical of the rythms that
everyone, young and old, would join in on. The
singing too is typical of how each person will add
their own melody to contribute to the whole;
individuals, yet part of a greater unit.
Martin Cradick: voice, guitar, mandolin,
percussion samples
Su Hart: voice
Paddy LeMercier: violin
Baka at Canya: percussion
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07) Canya Jam (5:42)
in a neighbouring camp near the river Canya.
Martin Cradick: guitar, mandolin, percussion samples
Jerry Soffe: bass
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08) Bounaka (6:53)
Whenever Bounaka played the guitar he always played
this piece, holding the guitar almost flat on his lap
so that he could pluck it like a ngombi. The
percussion track is a recording made one evening, as
can be told by the insect song that starts at dusk
and continues until dawn.
Bounaka: opening voice
Martin Cradick: kora, guitar, mandolin, samples
Paddy LeMercier: violin, whistle
--------------------------------------------------------
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This album dedicated to our son who didn't quite make it
Recorded in the forest of Southeast Cameroon,
Jan-Feb 1992, and at March Hare Studios, Jan-Feb 1993
Mixed at Markant Studios and Livingstone Studios,
Mastered at the Town House - All songs written by
Man Who Danced Too Slowly", "Canya Jam", & "Bounaka"
written by Martin Cradick and the Baka Forest People
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LINER NOTES
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Music is central to the lives of the Baka. It unites
the group, is used for charming animals to ensure the
success of the hunt, for telling stories, for healing
illness or misfortune, and above all for fun.
Since the trees prevent people from seeing far, sound
is very important in the forest. The absence of noise
from cars or machines enables the Baka to develop very
acute hearing.
Their awareness of their environment is not bound by
how far they can see, but by how far they can hear.
They can communicate with each other over surprisingly
large distances and their sensitivity to sound
naturally leads to great musical sensitivity.
I first became aware of the Baka and their music
through a television documentary on Channel 4. The way
that music was so central to their lives struck a chord
with me. Su, my wife, and I agreed then that we would
both like to visit, although it was just a dream.
Over the next three years a series of coincidences
occurred that made that dream come true. It was not a
surprise to the Baka that we should travel so far to
learn more about their music, since they do not believe
in coincidences. They greeted us with a warmth,
hospitality and respect that seems so rare these days.
We lived with them for six weeks deep in the forest
with a Baka family group. We slept, ate, hunted and
gathered as they did, and also spent many hours playing
music with them and recording their music. They taught
us so much about music and also about respect for each
other and the world around them. Living with them in
an island of sanity in an increasingly insane world was
both a joy and a privelage and I hope that the music
conveys these feelings.
Some of these tracks were inspired by listening to
and playing with the Baka ("Spirit of the Forest",
Baka Play Baka" and "Ngombi"). Some are pieces that
I wrote in the forest with them which I have developed
further since returning to England ("Nahwia" and "Canya
Jam"). Others are "covers" of their songs, based on
recordings made after giving them our guitar and
and "The Man Who Danced Too Slowly"). I have tried to
recreate the spirit of these occasions rather than copy
the music exactly and have included their performances,
especially their percussion, where it helps in this aim.
I realise that many people will want to hear their music
without my influence on it so I have produced a
companion album "Heart of the Forest", with a selection
of their traditional music.
All performance and compositional royalties due to the
Baka for this album will be collected for them to use to
protect their forest and to develop in a sustainable way
without losing their knowledge and culture.
While the forest stands their way of life is secure
within it, but while the forest is under threat from
logging and encroachment on their lands, so too is their
survival.
Many thanks to Phil Agland for the Channel 4 programme
that introduced me to the Baka, Mompana Rene, the
Catholic Mission at Mouloundu, Jeremy Avis, the Pitt
River Museum, and especially all the Baka at Sakwe for
making our visit and hence the music possible.
-- Martin Cradick
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Track Listing
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1. Spirit of the Forest (5:26)
2. The Man Who Danced too Slowly (6:04)
3. Ngombi (4:50)
4. Baka Play Baka (6:55)
5. Nahwia (5:12)
7. Canya Jam (5:43)
8. Bounaka (6:53)
Total Playing Time: 48:38 (min:sec)
Total Size : 55.7 MB (58,385,128 bytes)
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