Central African Republic

The landlocked nation of the Central African Republic is home to an estimated 80 to 100 ethnic groups, each with their own language and music idioms. This album presents music from seven of these groups: Dendi, Nzakara, Gbaya, Banda-Linda, Banda-Dakpa, Aka Pygmies, and Ngbaka. The recordings range from war chants to lullabies, with songs for counting, thinking, hunting, and music for ceremonial dance. The selections fit into two broad categories: group and individual. Group music celebrates and signals major events of the community, while individual music offers personal expression, sung for the performer’s pleasure rather than for an audience. Both follow strict cyclical structures and a pentatonic scale. This field recording was made by ethnomusicologist Simha Arom, a noted expert on the music of central Africa.

Track Listing

101	Song for Twins (Dendi)	n/a	03:07
102	Lullaby (Nzakara)	n/a	01:14
103	Children's Round: Yangele (Banda-Linda)	n/a	01:51
104	Ground Bow Solo: Kevandingenda (Banda-Linda)	n/a	01:08
105	Counting Song (Gbaya)	n/a	00:56
106	Dance for Rites of Passage: Bamara ganza (Banda-Dakpa)	n/a	05:39
107	Whistle Ensemble: Ganza knogo ngo (Banda-Linda)	n/a	02:49
108	Horn Ensemble: Ganza knogo ngo (Banda-Linda)	n/a	02:23
109	War Chant: Ye zame andero (Banda-Linda)	n/a	02:51
110	Song for "Thinking": Piere (Gbaya)	n/a	03:09
111	Song for Ancestors' Souls: Ze ze ze kuluze (Ngbaka)	n/a	03:52
112	Dance Music: Koyanongo (Banda-Linda)	n/a	06:30
113	Song Upon Returning from the Hunt: Mai (Aka Pygmies)	n/a	03:38
114	Propitiatory Song for the Hunt: Mbola (Aka Pygmies)	n/a	03:40
115	Drummed Message (Banda-Linda)	n/a	04:46