New Mbira Album: Chawapiwa by Forward Kwenda Mbira Madzimbahwe

Mbira master Forward Kwenda has collaborated with two of his students to release a new mbira album, Chawapiwa. It’s an 8 track album offering a number of favourites for many mbira enthusiasts and players.   The album is a result of a collaboration that was proposed by Forward Kwenda to his […]

Mbira singing workshop with Anna Mudeka

Join Anna Mudeka for a special mbira singing workshop on Saturday 25th March at Cranworth Village hall from 10am-4pm.  Audiences will be transported to Zimbabwe through music which has been played for over a thousand years by the Shona people.  Anna will talk and play the Mbira and share traditional songs with […]

Rendezvous with Mbira Player and Singer Hope Masike

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Mbira player and singer Hope Masike continues to captivate audiences both in Zimbabwe and abroad with her music. She was interviewed by TRT World as part of ‘Rendezvous’, a series of short portraits of prominent artists and intellectuals around the world. About Hope Masike Masike takes pride in together-blending mbira […]

Gabriel Makamanzi Album on Sale

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Gabriel Makamanzi and the Afresh Band’s hit album Ndangariro is now available to buy via all major online music stores. Please see below SPOTIFY LINK: https://play.spotify.com/album/42vxLqvTKLnC6DiyGRcp3E YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzJlODQcmsAV2hBt-IYjQt_UhSqPABmcC ITUNES LINK: http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1080544377?ls=1&app=itunes APPLE MUSIC LINK: http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1080544377 GOOGLE PLAY LINK: https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Gabriel_Makamanzi_and_the_Afresh_Band_Ndangariro?id=B3y2qspllrifklx5yfcj4mihnzi ` BANDCAMP LINK: http://afreshband.bandcamp.com/album/ndangariro      

African Music, Power, and Being in Colonial Zimbabwe

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Historian Mhoze Chikowero’s new book reveals the role of music in the subjugation and liberation of African culture. By Jim Logan for The Current History records colonialism as a lingering infection of violent domination. The conquerors arrive with avarice and superior weapons, and maintain order through intimidation. Sometimes, though, says […]

Voting for Hope Masike for KORA Award

Hope Masike has been nominated for the prestigious KORA All-Africa Music Awards under the Best Traditional Female Artist of Africa category. The mbira player will be up against 5 other nominees on the 20th of March. Huyai Tinamate Hope was nominated for her track Huyai Tinamate which you can listen to […]

Gabriel Makamanzi and the Afresh Band

Just before Christmas last year I came across the new 9 track album, Ndangariro, by Northern Ireland-based Zimbabwean musician Gabriel Makamanzi and the Afresh Band.  I listened, the opening track took me places, I picked up the phone and called Northern Ireland to chat with Sekuru Lavender, as Gabriel is popularly known, […]