Baka Beyond the Forest

Album Review

Baka Beyond have been doing their work with the Pygmy people of Cameroon since 1992, much of it mixing native sounds with Celtic music and plenty of jams. There's nothing radically different here, but it builds on their previous discs, expanding in other ways. Two of the best cuts here, "Illa Dhuinn" and "An T-Oighr'Og," mix native and Celtic music, the former working around a groove on the ngombi, the latter over loops of percussion playing the yelli rhythm. The blend is just right, and absolutely natural behind the delicious voice of Su Hart. Martin Cradick, the other driving force behind the band, is an excellent guitar player, although very much out of the Jerry Garcia school of playing, and shows his chops here and there, although he's fairly omnipresent on a plethora of instruments. This is not to demean the work of the Baka people, who are really front and center, very much in the spotlight for most of this disc, with Cradick happy to give support and fill out the sound. It's enjoyable and fulfilling.