The Central African Republic holds a remarkable range of musical traditions, including initiation songs, drum and dance ensembles, and the intricate polyphonic singing of Aka communities.
The music of the Central African Republic includes many different forms. Western rock and pop music, as well as Afrobeat, soukous and other genres have become popular nation-wide. The sanzais a popular instrument.The Pygmies have a complex folk music tradition. Polyphony and counterpoint are common components, as is a varied rhythmic structure. The trumpet-based music of the Bandas has also gained some popularity outside of the area due to its jazzy structure. The Ngbaka use an unusual instrument called a mbela, which is made with an arched branch and a string strung between the two ends and held in front of the musician's mouth. When the string is struck, the mouth is used to amplify and modulate the tone. Instruments similar to the mbela are sometimes considered the oldest ancestors of all string instruments.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia’s “Music of the Central African Republic” article.
The Ongo ensemble’s “Ndraje balendro” demonstrates music’s role in initiation and communal ceremony in the Central African Republic.
Aka polyphonic singing layers interlocking voices into a sophisticated communal form recognized as one of Central Africa’s great musical traditions.