Photograph courtesy Baka Beyond
Made up of nine musicians from the Celtic fringe of Western Europe and the west coast of Africa, Baka Beyond is in the vanguard of one of the most exciting recent developments on the international music scene: the blend of Celtic and African traditions. Inspired by a sojourn undertaken along the Cameroon-Congo border by band members Martin Cradick and Su Hart in the early 90's, Baka Beyond combines the mesmerizing Gaelic, English, and Baka vocals of Hart and Denise Row with a powerful rhythm section made up of percussionists Ayodele Scott and Seckou Keita and bassist Sam Djengue, along with Cradick's subtly rhythmic guitar playing and the wild Breton fiddle playing of Paddy Le Mercier.
Popular on the European festival circuit, the band will be returning to the United States in 2005 with a tour featuring music from new album. As BBC Radio's Andy Kershaw said about the group and its repertoire, "if there has to be a definition of world music, this is it."
The Grosvenor Auditorium
National Geographic Society Headquarters
1600 M Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
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Pricing:
Members: $22
Nonmembers: $26 |
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