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) Dendi woman accompanied by small chorus	03:07
102	Lullaby (Nzakara) Nzakara woman	01:14
103	Children's Round (Banda-Linda) Group of Banda Linda children	01:51
104	Ground Bow Solo (Banda-Linda) Banda Linda boy playing ground bow	01:08
105	Counting Song (Gbaya) Group of Gbaya children	00:56
106	Dance for Rites of Passage (Banda-Dakpa) Group of Banda Dakpa musicians and dancers	05:39
107	Whistle Ensemble (Banda-Linda) Banda Linda whistle ensemble	02:49
108	Horn Ensemble (Banda-Linda) Banda Linda horn orchestra	02:23
109	War Chant (Banda-Linda) Five Banda Linda elders	02:51
110	Song for "Thinking" (Gbaya) Two Gbaya men	03:09
111	Song for Ancestors' Souls (Ngbaka) Two Ngbaka men	03:52
112	Dance Music (Banda-Linda) Two Banda Linda men playing lenga drums	06:30
113	Song Upon Returning from the Hunt (Aka Pygmies) Group of Aka men, women, and children	03:38
114	Propitiatory Song for the Hunt (Aka Pygmies) Group of Aka children	03:40
115	Drummed Message (Banda-Linda) Banda Linda man playing lenga drum	04:46