Oct 1, 2013
Nov 20, 2011
MbiraKalimba Acoustics
Recorded Live with guitar 'Watercoloured Forest' through old Shure microphone and Telefunken V72 preamp. This Mbira is antique 1971 from Zimbabwe.
Posted by"MbiraKalimbaFratale"
Nov 19, 2011
Zimbabwe : Ephat Mujuru | Dangurangu
Sekuru Ephat Mujuru : 1950 - 5 Oct 2001. Posted by "1matandaT"
Ephat Mujuru was raised in a small village in Manicaland, near the Mozambiquan border, and taught to play the mbira by his grandfather, Muchatera Mujuru. Mujuru played all of Zimbabwe's five types of mbira, but his specialty is the popular mbira dzavadzimu. During the 1990s, Mujuru continued to travel and perform, and in the United States, he recorded two albums for Music of the World. Ancient Wisdom is a solo recording, and Shona Spirit is a collaboration with another of Shona music's great international ambassadors, Dumisani Maraire. Mujuru also recorded an ambitious, multi-track album he called Journey of the Spirit, which has yet to be released. Back in Zimbabwe, he also released successful pop albums with a revamped, electric version of Spirit of the People. In 1992, Mujuru's first electric album Hapana Mutorwa made its way to the top of the local charts, edging out Zimbabwe rumba kings Leonard Dembo and John Chibadura. But as conditions worsened in Zimbabwe, Mujuru traveled and recorded less. When he was last interviewed in March 2001, he had just finished two new recordings, one acoustic, traditional session, and one with a new band, members of a Zimbabwe rumba outfit called Eden Boys. In early September 2001, the electric album, Musiyano, was released and got a very positive review in The Daily News in Zimbabwe, under the heading, "Mujuru back with a bang." Mujuru seemed poised for a genuine comeback. But less than a month later, on October 5, he died in London, while traveling with his cousins Fradreck and Sam. He was on his way to begin a residency at Grinnell College in Indiana. Sadly, Ephat Mujuru suffered a massive heart attack that day in Gatwick Airport and died on his way to a hospital.
Nov 13, 2011
May 11, 2011
Mawungira Enharira
In their village of Norton, an hour West of Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe, Mawungira Enharira members are known for their open rehearsals in which anyone can come and play mbira, hosho, ngoma, dance, or sing with them. It is through these rehearsals that the village of Norton has been able to cultivate young talent that has gone on to form spectacular traditional music bands that have performed in venues across Zimbabwe. The legacy of the older musicians in Mawungira Enharira, and indeed Mbira Dzenharira, the original group from which Mawungira Enharira emerged, can be seen in the younger players who play alongside them and fluidly sing the lyrics as if they were born knowing what to do with the mbira.
The group is as adept at teaching community singing and dancing workshops as they are splitting up and teaching more focused, individual workshops in mbira and hosho. Each member of the group is a gwenyambira (master mbira player) in his own right and in their free time the members of Mawungira Enharira play at traditional ceremonies for their families and communities. Their meteoric rise to the top of the popular music charts in Zimbabwe is a testament to their skill at making traditional music not only more accessible, but socially conscious and highly entertaining.
The members of Mawungira Enharira call each other by their totems as a sign of respect for the spirits that endow each one of them with their musicianship.
dandemutande.com
Posted by "mbirajunction"Posted by "mawungira"
May 10, 2011
Forward Kwenda - "Tadzungaira"
Tadzungaira - M'bira radio station live.
Forward Kwenda was born 5 April 1963 in the rural Buhera area of Zimbabwe, an area known for its fierce resistance to colonial rulers and respect for Shona tradition. As a young boy, Forward excelled in traditional dance and recitation of ancient poetry. At the age of 10, he began to play ngoma (drums) and hosho (gourd rattles) for his mother's gombwe (rain-making) spirit. He was given the name "Forward" because of his curiosity about many subjects, enthusiastic involvement in many activities and his singing for liberation war freedom fighters.
By 1985, Forward was playing in a unusually complex style - much to the amazement of master m'bira players two and three generations his senior. This style was first recorded in 1985 and 1986 by his American friend Glenn Makuna (see MBIRA tapes nos. 56, 57, 58, 143), who dubbed Kwenda "the Coltrane of m'bira."
Asked about his experience of playing m'bira, Forward responds:
"When I pick up my m'bira, I don't know what is going to happen. The music just goes by itself, taking me higher and higher until I can end up crying because the music is so much greater than a human being can understand." and "I just have to get out of the way so spirits can make my m'bira play."
Mbira.org
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