Ndaï Ndaï brings us the newest edition to our popular World Roots Series,a worldwide collection of urban musical traditions. This recording isfrom Ndaï Ndaï's performance at the 1995 World Roots Festival in theMelkweg (Milky Way) in Amsterdam.

The band comes from the Central African Republic and their name was taken from a popular Sango expression: teré ti mbi a sara ndaï ndaï,in which ndaï ndaï means exstacy. The band was formed in 1992 by anumber of musicians who had begun their musical careers exploringforeign rhythms: soukous, r&b, salsa, jazz, roock, etc. Ndaï Ndaï'spercussion based music is a mix of traditional Central African rhythms(Bantu, Peul, Nilotes and Beka Pygmies) and western jazz phrasing,bringing Central African music onto an international plain. Theirlyrics try to express the duality of the modern African society; closeto its roots and traditions, but up against modern-day problems. Thesongs speak of the initiations and rituals that mark the stages of aman's life, songs of war and hunting, and comments on the social,cultural and political problems modern Africans face as they strive fordemocracy.

 

Ndaï Ndaï is:

• Mathurin Koyabade - lead vocals
• Dieudonné Samba - backing vocals
• Théophile Koumangou - solo guitar, backing vocals
• Christophe Gbokissia - guitar, backing vocals
• Césaire Nganafio - synthesiser
• Marie Kotanguinza - bass, backing vocals
• Magloire Ngomateke - percussion
• Rufin Djapa - drums
• Natacha Kogalamoko - dance
• Eulalie Gobera-Walikette - dance