At the end of the day, people in the village gather around a fire. They come to discuss, to make music, to confront problems, and to touch the world of spirit. This creates community. This is Mbongi.

Mbongi (pronounced Bone-gee) is a Congolese word that means "the learning circle". Mbongi tends to reduce social strata, promote unguarded interaction, and inspire respect and joy.

When Titos Sompa and Christopher Hedge get together with an audience it is also called a Mbongi. It is as much an action and an event as it is the name of this project and CD.

The music of Mbongi allows its listeners to reach beyond the limits of their immediate cultural experience. Influenced by a diverse range of musical styles, the composers instinctively find the common ground. They work with instruments and musicians from around the world, all of whom contribute the fruits of their own musical journeys to the mix. Classical, American Bluegrass, Jazz and Irish folk, Avant Garde electronic and African, Arabic and Oriental, Mississippi blues and Big Band swing are just a few of the musical styles that contributed to the birth of Mbongi.

The Mbongi style of music and poetry is not an abstract, conscious attempt to combine world music but rather, the inevitable expression of its' creators. The chance meeting of Christopher Hedge and Titos Sompa has resulted in an ensemble of musicians that embody the inclusive philosophy that is community, that is Mbongi.