Baka Beyond - Adukbe

[@bakabeyond]

Really interested in this discussion about our music. Haven't a clue what "hindewhu" is, but if its the singing at about 3'40" this isn't a sample its the English singers singing a (very simplified) version of what they learned direct from the Baka. The Baka musicians receive royalties from this song (though the record company take 86% of it before we get any!). If you want to know what the Baka musicians themselves are doing now check out the latest uploads on our channel

[@bakabeyond]

Yes, it starts with the "ndong", a single note flute from North-West cameroon accompanied by voice (1 person performing this) and is joined by a single Baka woman singing. This style of singing (yelli) usually starts with a solo voice and is then joined by the other performers, sometimes just 1 or 2 others, sometimes many, sometimes accompanied by the men and boys on percussion. (see youtube films cATZe_jlc9g & 98Xj_oLkRT4. The style is often incorporated into other songs as well (qx2bTEcQtqQ)

[@Strahovuk1]

Saw them live once.They were great!I can t belive that only 2843 people watched this

[@umaleyahgraves2120]

I love this song!!!!!!!!!!

[@KryssTal60]

The CD is lovely - a mix of Gaelic and Cameroon. Nice!

[@bakabeyond]

more Baka Beyond on our channel....

[@cybergran]

Thanks so much for educating me. I am so ignorant about this field of music and study, just beginning to learn.

[@bakabeyond]

Thanks for the info. The singing at this point is actually 2 voices singing separate lines. I have never heard anyone in the Baka group that we stay with using "Hindewhu" tho' I have heard recordings of both Aka and Efe doing this. I first came across this technique in North-West Cameroon where several groups do so (mountain people, far from Pygmies). You can hear an example of this on track 1 of our album "Beyond the Forest". They also do this as a group, as on youtube film wEh9FTZl4J0

[@augustingicquel6606]

Ad it on Spotify please !!!

[@cybergran]

Thanks! I love your examples and learning more about this music.

[@soloflame12791]

The Baka Beyond has an "Island Beat" and rhythm to me.

[@cybergran]

Hindewhu is a duet between a voice and a one-note flute or whistle. I heard the combination of flute and voices at 3:40 and after, and it's a good use of the technique the Forest People (pygmies) use traditionally. I understand you use a fusion of Baka and Celtic music in your albums, and I have read about the projects set up for Baka women with royalties from sales. I commend you! In the past, so many have appropriated musical styles from indigenous people without compensating them.

[@cybergran]

I listened to "Marriage of East and West." I hear women yodelling, a flute, and a mouth harp (?). Is that right? These are definitions we learned in music class: Hocket: from lati hoquetus, meaning ‘hiccup’, is when a single melody is shared between two (or occasionally more) voices such that alternately one voice sounds while the other rests. The alternation is usually between a higher and lower voice. (Cooperative melody making) Yodel: the alternation of a chest voice with a head voice.

[@heliojam1962]

Baka beyond,today and forever!!

[@PHL76Music]

I kind of like it, but you're right about the mixture of styles. To me it sounds a lot like the South African music that was used in Graceland, especially rhythmically, only with different instruments and a lighter-weight sound. (Coursera)

[@cybergran]

Indeed it is! And very likeable music, too. Guess my World Music course made me too analytical.

[@wolfgangfrick4567]

iBook 2001 introduction video brought me here

[@onenessify]

my favorite song so far

[@cybergran]

Finally heard the whistle sounds. They are merely a small adjunct to the whole.

[@LaChilanGuilla]

But you can't deny it's really cheerful :D

[@cybergran]

We can look at it this way: just as cross-breeding invigorates animals (and humans), cross-fertilization of musical styles invigorates the music scene. Just think of the wonderful melding of African and European/America styles into our blues, jazz, whatever.

[@cybergran]

Exactly! That's what I was trying to say. I found this through Coursera, too. I guess what I don't like is co-opting the hindewhu, but if I hadn't taken this course, I wouldn't have known about hindewhu and would have innocently enjoyed the music as lively and somewhat different. They are doing a good thing in making this music more accessible. The song is lively and upbeat AND enjoyable on its own. Maybe I should just relax and enjoy it!

[@jamesgraham4242]

It means rain and good fishing.

[@PHL76Music]

I know. It's such a dilemma. What this class is doing is killing my enjoyment of indigenous music or musical fusions, because I start wondering about the origins and wonder if I should guilty for enjoying it. Meanwhile, the musicians themselves are loving incorporating various styles into their mix. In a few minutes I'm off to a 3-day music festival here in the US that will have some int'l acts. I really just want to enjoy & not worry about exploitation. Anyway, karma fixes all in the end.

[@SuperDfrancois]

I made the same South African connection! I have to be honest, I'm not really connecting with this sample.

[@glowstonelovepad9294]

This band clearly didn't know that "baka" is Japanese for "idiot".

[@cybergran]

Sorry, folks, I don't like this mixture of styles. Instead of hindewhu pygmy song, it sounds more like South African or Ghanaian high life jazzed up African/Western music.