Janka Nabay says Bubu music is hundreds of years old. But he has made the sound modern, adding electric guitar, bass guitar, keyboards and drums. The Bubu Gang players are all local musicians who also perform for other bands.

Among them is Syrian born singer Boshra al-Sahdi. Here she and Nabay sing "Eh Mane Ah," or "Take This Advice."

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Janka Nabay is popular in Sierra Leone. He sings in the country's main language, Krio, as well as his own tribal language, Temne, and several others. Nabay says his work has made it pleasant for people to return to their culture and to love it.

Supporters in the Sierra Leonean community in New York were more difficult to find. Nabay sings about that in "Kill Me With Bongo," from "En Yay Sah."

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Janka Nabay and the Bubu Gang have some love songs too. In one, Nabay sings "I need somebody to sit by me, I need somebody kiss me, I need somebody to hold me tight, I need somebody to love me."

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Music critics have mostly praised "En Yay Sah." Bubu music may not be well known among them but one critic wrote of the album, "the unfamiliar has never been so inviting."

We leave you now with another song from En Yay Sah." Here is Janka Nabay and the Bubu Gang performing "Feba," or "Look-Alike"

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JUNE SIMMS: I'm June Simms. This program was written and produced by Caty Weaver. Zulima Palacio provided additional reporting.

Join us again next week for music and more on AMERICAN MOSAIC in VOA Special English.