By Spencer K. Rouse

Born in the jungle of the African Congo and protected by Pygmies from the bloody revolution that claimed her father's life, Marie Daulne, the creative well source of Zap Mama, entered this world.

It's been an intriguing journey between then and now, which brings Zap Mama to Laxson Auditorium Wednesday, for the first Chico Performances concert of the 2007-08 season.

From the Congo, the Daulne family moved to Belgium where Daulne was raised and began to realize her deep connection to music within her soul.

In the early '90s Daulne made an immediate impact on music by bringing together an all-female, a cappella group. Zap Mama's sound was new and exciting, and perhaps even responsible for the invigorated interest in so-called world music. The group exposed its multicultural lineup and music to the planet with a vivid stage show that incorporated dance and drama. This first album caught the eye of David Byrne and his record label, Luaka Bop, which re-released the record that soon became Billboard's best selling world music album of 1993.

When asked about Byrne, Daulne says "Whenever I'm in New York he always shows me something new."

From then until now Daulne and Zap Mama have been on a sojourn pursuing both musical and personal explorations.

During a recent interview Daulne's soft and gentle voice took me through an interesting perspective on life and music that are intimately intertwined.

From the beginning Zap Mama has always been Daulne's brainchild.

She incorporates not only music but integrates the sounds of Arab, African and European traditions. It is exactly this diapason that defines Zap Mama.

"Inside me, I always felt different," Daulne says when referring to her childhood, indicating she has always been drawn to music as if her life depended on it.

Daulne has been pursing sound since her return to the Pygmies to study their polyphonic singing to collaborating with the Philadelphia hip-hop crew/consortium known as The Roots, with whom she spent two years living and working. The Roots have brought hip-hop to perhaps its highest level with full instrumentation and collaborations with some creative and under-heard artists such as Ursula Rucker and Cody Chesnutt.

Daulne was introduced to Rahzel of The Roots "during a festival in Germany back in 1997." Rahzel is a world-renowned beat boxer who makes a symphony of sounds with this mouth. This appreciation of sounds lead to an immediate appreciation of Zap Mama and their music.

By 1998 Daulne had completely replaced the four- and five-part a cappella singers with a full band, however, the range of sounds was still large and was to get even larger in the coming years. When "A Ma Zone" was released, Daulne had replaced the varied vocal sounds with collaborations with Michael Franti, Manu Dibango, Speech from Arrested Development, and The Roots.

This crossover from the traditional a cappella sound to a more modern sound lost some fans along the way but Daulne's and Zap Mama's sound has turned on a younger generation, especially with the 2004 project, "Ancestry in Progress," which The Roots' Anthony Tidd produced. That album combined Daulne's global sounds, a modern American urban sound and her newly formed kinships. Erykah Badu, Common and Talib Kweli all made appearances on the CD. Daulne appeared on Common's album and toured with Badu in 2003 and has appeared on albums by The Roots, Spearhead and Badu.

Daulne's American appeal had hit its heights.

With the new album, "Supermoon," and current tour, which includes a headlining spot at Earthdance in Laytonville in September, Daulne is more reflective.

"This album is a way for me to open my heart," she said.

Spirituality has always played a part in Zap Mama's music but this album is dedicated to a dear friend of Daulne's who died, making Supermoon "very personal," she said. "It's a new experiment to making music, a new approach to sadness" as she passes through "a new zone of life."

From the very first Zap Mama album through "Supermoon," Daulne has always incorporated as many sounds as needed to achieve her unique sound. This sound comes from many sources whether they are vocal chords, ancient instruments turntable scratches or electronic beats. Daulne has consistently infused a wide and varied palette as evidenced by the 47 artists credited on the new album.

When asked what the Chico audience can expect, Daulne said, "If you hear the new music on the radio, then you must come to the live show (where) the real things happen."

Chico Performances presents Zap Mama, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Laxson Auditorium on the Chico State University campus. Tickets, $15-$25, are available at University Box Office or by calling 898-6333.