Antonio Forcione, Seckou Keita and Adriano Adewale Itauna come from three different continents - Europe, South America and Africa. All virtuosos in their own right, they grew up in three different landscapes, speaking three different languages, and were formed by three different cultures and musical traditions. All these differences have converged in AKA Trio, and the product is 'JOY'. Italian guitarist-composer Antonio Forcione has been travelling the world for over two decades, releasing twenty albums and collaborating with many major artists along the way, including such names as Charlie Haden, Trilok Gurtu, Angélique Kidjo and the Bulgarian Voices, amongst many others. Seckou Keita from Senegal is one of the world’s foremost kora players, involved in many international projects including his ground-breaking duo with Welsh harpist Catrin Finch, Africa Express with Damon Albarn and his Transparent Water project with Cuban pianist Omar Sosa. Brazilian percussionist and composer Adriano Adewale has collaborated with Bobby McFerrin, Joanna McGregor and Benjamin Taubkin and has composed music for orchestras and dance theatre.

Rooted in tradition this recording of Yoruba (Nigerian) percussion and chant features 'incredibly beautiful rhythms and drumming patterns, each track with it's own unique story and vibe. The aspect of spirituality and the supernatural is strongly evident throughout' (Blogger News Network). English translations of the poems are available.

Dumisani “Ramadu” Moyo started his career as a professional musician in 1990 in the City of Kings- Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. The city is in the South of Zimbabwe where the Ndebele language is spoken. The music in this city is very much like South African music because of the Zulu language which has similiarities with Ndebele such as the “clicks” which can be heard in Miriam Makeba’s songs for example. His name “Dumisani” means “to praise” and the family name “Moyo” means “heart.” “Ramadu” is his chosen artistic name which he prefers to use as a musician. Ramadu dropped out of school at fourteen and decided to make music his career. In 1990 he joined the a cappella group Insingizi Emnyama who specialized in iMbube and traditional dances like Indlamu and “Gumboot Dance.” Today Ramadu runs a music label and studio working with different musicians from within Zimbabwe and around the globe, in a variety of styles from pop to classical music, from blues to Afro-pop to traditional roots music from southern Africa. Ramadu recorded this, his first solo album, in the summer of 2001. It is a mixture of traditional and self-composed songs from his hometown, mostly in the Ndebele language combining traditional and modern sounds. His focus is to develop and popularize the traditional music of his culture throughout the world by staging live performances and recordings and producing music.

Throughout Africa, the drum is the most ancient and certainly the most widely played instrument in African history. Having a far deeper bearing on life than the Western concept of percussion, the drum and all its offshoots and variations is an integral part of the heritage of all African cultures. There is a huge variety of such instruments. The sacred big drums were the most valuable property of any tribe. Conquering kings would make such drums a priority to capture, as this would break the spirit of the conquered. In many creation stories, the drum plays a vital role. Gods and chiefs, wise men and those who can talk to the ancestors, all use the drum as a medium. These recordings are performed by master African drumming groups; the El Hadj Ensemble, Ipelegeng Group, African Works, Soweto Ensemble and Tirani Club. All tracks are performed in the differing styles of cultures and communities from all over Africa, in some cases with added instruments appropriate to those cultures, making for an exemplary percussive exploration of Africa.

Rooted in the Mandinka idea that history and ancestry shape identity and guide the future, Tona reflects on Kadialy Kouyate's rich heritage as a Kouyate griot and his distinctive style of kora playing, shaped via his life history thus far. With gratitude for the past and optimism for the future, Kadialy continues to refine his artistry, weaving tradition with personal expression.