Folk Music of Liberia

Liberia is a coastal country bordering Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire. Many tribes employ “talking” instruments such as the fangbass musical bow that tell stories when played. “Bassa Musical Bow” tells the story of a man dealing with a women’s death: “She dead in the bush. The man ain’t got no family, ain’t got no boy, he ain’t born no pickin, ain’t got nobody. He don’t know what to do...” Liner notes include description of Liberia, track notes, and pictures.

Track Listing

101	Mandingo Mandinka woman and man singing with guitar, Gbarnga, Central Province	03:34
102	Kpelle Bush-Cutters Kpelle men singing while cutting grass	04:15
103	Gio Songs Dan laborers at Bromley, St. Paul River	05:04
104	Bassa Musical Bow Jon Wieh	01:34
105	Kpelle Harp / Kpelle Band Pepe Kroma	02:38
106	Loma (Buzi) Song with Fanga Drums Two men singing, playing drums	04:12
201	Gio Song Dan laborers at Bromley, St. Paul River, with song leader Jeru	03:05
202	Mandingo Song with Balafon Mandinka man and woman singing with balafon accompaniment	02:33
203	Bassa Belly Harp Jeffly and Bo, two Bassa men in Gbarnga, Central Province	06:26
204	Kru Song with Guitar Grebo	04:53
205	Kpelle Band Kpelle musicians playing wood horns, iron percussion, drum, Gbarnga	02:14