Member Since: 3/29/2006
Band Website: bakabeyond.net
Band Members: Martin Cradick (UK) - guitar, founded Baka Beyond after visiting the Baka Pygmy hunter-gatherers in the Cameroon rainforest in 1992 with his wife Su Hart.
Su Hart (UK) - vocals, played in several bands and travelled extensively song gathering before living with the Baka and learning from them. Apart from singing in Baka Beyond she teaches about the singing of the Baka.
Paddy Le Mercier (France) - violin, originally from Brittany, the Celtic part of France. Now lives in Toulouse, France. Played on first album, Spirit of the Forest, and has been with the band since the beginning.
Seckou Keita (Senegal) - percussion, he joined Baka Beyond in 1998. Although he is the percussionist with Baka Beyond he is also a skilled kora player, playing solo concerts at WOMAD in Australia and Singapore.
Tim Robinson (UK) - drums, joined Baka Beyond in 2000 at short notice when their Senegalese drummer was refused a visa just before a national tour. Session credits include the Oscar-nominated animation, Welsh-language folk music and TV drama.
Denise Rowe (UK) - vocals, dance, father Jamaican, mother British. Grew up in Midlands, UK. Has studied dance in UK & Ghana as well as with the Baka in SE Cameroon. She joined Baka Beyond in 2000.
Kibisingo Douglas (Congo) - bass, now lives in London. Has toured across Africa, Europe and America with Zairian legend Kanda Bongo Man. Has recently joined Baka Beyond adding an authentic Congolese root to the music.
Ayodele Scott (Sierra Leone) - percussion, came to UK as a theatre and dance performer in 1987. He founded Kabudu dance company and has worked extensively in UK in African Dance and education. Joined Baka Beyond in 1997.
Nii Tagoe (Ghana) - percussion, born in Accra, Ghana, into a royal family from whom he inherited his talent for drumming, dancing and singing. He came to Britain as a principal dancer and drummer in the Adzido dance company. Joined Baka Beyond in 1997.
Influences: Many and varied from Jimi Hendrix to Fela Kuti to Can, but also music of the Baka Pygmies and especially the music brought by individual band members
Sounds Like: make your own mind up - you can hear the latest albums at www.baka.co.uk/radio .
Record Label: March Hare Music
Type of Label: Indie