Ponda

With Ponda, Cameroonian pianist and singer Patrick Bebey delivers a record that seamlessly fuses jazz, African tradition and Western folk and pop elements. The album is rooted in the influence of Bebey’s musician father Francis, whom he covers several times, most notably with the well-known ‘The Coffee Cola Song’. This track highlights the contrast between negative portrayals of Indigenous tribes, who live close to nature, with what Francis saw as the throw-away consumerism of modern life. Bebey, like his father, plays the n’dehou, a single note flute of the Baka people, sometimes referred to as the pygmy flute. The instrument is blown alongside vocalisations, creating a distinctive conversational sound. One of the most engaging moments is provided by ‘Jungle Ndehoo’, in which Bebey’s flute combines with fluid jazz guitar, piano and propulsive drumming. Bebey honours his father’s legacy, while creating his own sound. His eight-piece band deftly weave the cross-cultural influences into an uplifting and engaging whole.