Nyamuziwa Marimba Ensemble
Nyamuziwa plays the lively, spirited Shona-style marimba music of Zimbabwe. Their pieces include traditional mbira compositions adapted for the marimba as well as arrangements by Dumisani Maraire, Andrew Tracey, and Stephen Golovnin, who is the group’s musical director.
Nyamuziwa is both totem and praise name for the lion clan of the Shona people of Zimbabwe. The totem is adopted by the founder of the clan and the name is then passed to all of his descendants. Every clan is protected by a living elder, the guardian of traditions. Stephen interprets his role as guarding the spirit of this beautiful music.
Nyamuziwa’s marimbas were built by Stephen over the past twenty years. Based on an expanded range, the sopranos and altos contain two and a half octaves without F#’s. Tenors have two extra notes on top, and a high bass is added between the bass and baritone ranges. The additional notes and exclusion of those pesky F#’s provide for facility in playing some of the more complex mbira arrangements.
The group was co-founded with Geoff Johns in 2002 as Tingara Marimba and Drum Ensemble. After several personel shifts, they renamed themselves Nyamuziwa Marimba Ensemble.
Living in this World Without Fear
Notes: 4pp.
2006
CD (628-C) $15.00 plus shipping not currently in stock
Tracks:
- 1. Chemwaniera (4:29)
- 2. Chipembere ya Stavo (Chipembere) (6:06)
- 3. Mangwanani (16:16)
- 4. Chipendani (3:33)
- 5. Isu Tauya Pano (8:07)
- 6. Bangidza (22:55)
Instruments: (in alphabetical order)
hosho, marimba, voice.
Credits: (in alphabetical order)
Sean Gaskell, Stephen Golovnin, Debbie Jenkins, Marge Mansfield, Lisa McKerlick, Paul Meehan, Mary Jo Pellerito, Tim Rahn, Rob Saecker.
New Year’s Eve at Breitenbush
Length: 64:29
Notes: 4pp.
2004
CD (507-C) $15.00 plus shipping not currently in stock
[Recorded live on New Year’s Eve 2003 at Breitenbush Hot Springs, central Oregon mountains.]
This CD really punches across the excitement of a live performance. I’m especially pleased with the half-hour rendition of Bangidza! I wish more bands would include live-concert-length tracks. There’s something profound that can occur to music, musicians, listeners, and dancers when a song continues past its initial explication. Depth happens. Having shown off its basic melody, the song has time to mature and reach for something deeper; and the listeners, having ingested the basic song, can whirlpool down (or up) so much farther, the longer it’s played. What little sacrifice of technical audio quality there might be in a live recording venue before a flesh & bones audience is more than made up for by the energy of the moment. When bands typically agonize over whether to issue necessarily flawed live performance recordings or theoretically perfect studio work, albums like Nyamuziwa’s argue strongly to go live.
I’m a great admirer of Stephen Golovnin’s arrangements of mbira music onto marimba, and New Year’s Eve at Brietenbush provides me with ample satisfaction. I would have loved to have heard his Chipembere again, but I think I can hear bits of it reincarnated here & there in other pieces. Taireva and Bagidza are my favorite tracks. Great playing by everyone in the band. I hope they issue a second CD before another decade goes by...
Tracks:
- 1. Sekuru Joe (8:30) Listen
- 2. Mary's Song (5:15)
- 3. Taireva (We have already told you so) (11:18) Listen
- 4. Mweya (Spirit) (5:42)
- 5. Ndofa Ndichi Baiwa (I am dying, being stabbed) (7:00)
- 6. Bangidza (26:34) Listen
Instruments: (in alphabetical order)
hosho, marimba, voice.
Credits: (in alphabetical order)
Bud Cohen, Terry Farrah, Sean Gaskell, Stephen Golovnin, Mekah Hall, Mary Jo Pellerito, Levin Pugsley, Rob Saecker.