The Whole Music Experience

Oka! (Listen) Film Soundtrack Oka Productions I first became acquainted with the music of the Central African pygmies (Congo, Cameroon), when I discovered the music of the Afro-Celtic band Baka Beyond.  I felt fascinated with the pygmies’ music because these indigenous people learned to make music from the natural environment of the deep forest.  From exotic bird calls, to complex poly rhythms, and vocals not easily described, the pygmies celebrate life via music.  Not only that, even with strange and exotic sounds, the pygmies’ music is accessible. The feature film Oka! (listen) , brings us hybrid music that combines a movie soundtrack with a field recording sensibility.  And in fact, the movie revolves around ethnomusicalogist Louis Sarno, a leading expert of the pygmies music.  He ignored a life-threatening illness, according to the press notes, and stayed on with the pygmies for three decades, recording their music.  In a life imitates ...