Performers

Musha Marimba is an accomplished high school performing group from Bryant School, Spokane, WA. They have been around since 2009 under the direction of Heather Ward. They play extensively throughout the Spokane area, have recorded three CDs and have had the privilege of attending and performing at 3 Zimfest festivals.

Zuva is a small but vibrant marimba ensemble that blends traditional Shona rhythms with the energy of electric bass and drums. Featuring Daniel Lockley, David Onstott, Emi Eason, Jesse Larson, and Raven Swing, the group brings a fresh, dynamic sound while remaining deeply rooted in Zimbabwean music. Many of the members have experience performing in larger 7-piece marimba ensembles, so Zuva’s smaller lineup presents an exciting challenge, where each player’s contribution stands out even more than they would in a standard marimba band. Zuva plays shows regularly around Santa Fe and Albuquerque, and has also performed in Juneau, Alaska.

Anesu Ndoro and Ted Wright will introduce two of Zimbabwe’s little-known bow instruments.

Anesu Ndoro, playing the chizambefriction bow, is a Zimbabwean multi-instrumentalist, African instrument builder, and cultural educator. He has launched “Rayiro Culture Hub”, a social media space that showcases his experiments with creative (re)arrangements of traditional music compositions, cross-cultural conversations between different African instruments, and revival of archival Zimbabwean music(s).

Ted Wright has been playing and performing Zimbabwe’s chipendani single-string mouthbow since the late 1990’s.

Chiedza is Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center’s current advanced marimba class. We play unique arrangements of some songs as well as many classics. We have a big sound that is sure to be enjoyed by listeners.

Manzwi, which means “voices” in the chiShona language of Zimbabwe, is a group of long-time Zimbabwean music enthusiasts in and around Seattle, WA who have been singing together for several years. Adding mbira, drum, and guitar into the mix as well, they perform traditional, choral and contemporary Zimbabwean music. Members of Manzwi are Lynn Wyckoff, Jake Roberts, and Mandy Walker-LaFollette.

Kutandara Teen Marimba Band is a high-energy youth ensemble known for its exceptional stage presence and musical skill. Blending traditional Zimbabwean songs with contemporary compositions and arrangements by Randy McIntosh, the band’s vibrant performances captivate audiences and inspire dance. With a deep respect for African musical traditions and a dynamic, modern twist, Kutandara bands bring an electrifying experience to every stage. This is a combination of our current teen bands Tanaka and Mhodzi Marimba.

Combining marimba, electric mbira, bass guitar and rich vocal polyphony, the Jeff Brahe Band fuses sounds both ancient and modern. Eclectic tastes from traditional to original, with covers in between, are filtered through the lens of Jeff Brahe’s exacting artistry. Professional musicians of diverse backgrounds each add their talents to this unforgettable mix.

The Seattle-based ensemble Mahonyera (“the sound of distant voices”) Mbira Ensemble performs traditional mbira music of the Shona people of Zimbabwe. Three mbira players perform complex interlocking patterns on the 22-24 key mbira dzavadzimu (mbira of the ancestral spirits) and are accompanied by gourd shakers and vocals. Mahonyera members, most of whom have spent time studying in Zimbabwe, are: Claire Jones, Sheree Seretse, Phillip Page and Zack Moon with guest Karen Weisser.

The pros on the Zimbabwean marimba — Mike Sibanda, carrier of the Kwanongoma College legacy — and mbira dzavadzimu — Bezil Makombe, formerly of The Blacks Unlimited — combine to show off their musical expertise and delight the Zimfest audience.

Kutandara fuses ancient African music traditions with indie-pop, rock, jazz, gospel, classical, and world folk influences. Their exuberant and hi-energy polyrhythmic performances manage to be innovative and deeply-rooted at the same time. Kutandara means to come together and have a good time, which is the group’s purpose as they exchange energy of music and movement with their audiences. Kutandara has performed at the Boulder and Aggie Theaters, Boulder Creek Festival, Colorado Performing Arts Festival, and many other festivals and concert series around the front range.

Turuka is a multi-instrumental group formed by Parker Ediger with the intent of performing songs not often played in the American Zim music community. The group seeks to create arrangements that are unique and enjoyable, and to perform on a wide range of instruments. Our songs are sure to get the Zimfest crowd up and dancing!

Chitatu (Wednesday) Marimba class has functioned in this configuration for about 4 years. Chitatu studies with Sheree Seretse.

The eight-member Vawachi Marimba Ensemble plays high energy dance music from Zimbabwe. We are a new-old marimba group comprised of several veterans who first met and performed with Dumisani Maraire 40+ years ago. Our group was revived a decade ago with some additional, more youthful musicians who keep us on our toes! We play some of the old Dumi songs, dip into the repertoire from the fondly-remembered Seattle groups Kutamba and Musango and have added newer mbira-oriented and Afro-Jazz arrangements by leader Claire Jones and Karen Schraven. We play with six to seven marimbas plus traps, hosho and a bit of this and that. Still rockin’.

SUPA! is the latest Colorado-based marimba band fusing diverse styles of traditional and contemporary Zimbabwean-style music. We draw inspiration from legendary Zimbabwean musicians such as Thomas Mapfumo, Oliver Mtukudzi, and Stella Chiweshe, and our songs reflect different strands of Shona music. We are high-energy, fast-paced, and improvisational, and all of our songs are infused with our members’ passion for what we play.

“Kondo reNzou” refers to the shimmering band of stars in the night sky – the Milky Way galaxy, or what the Marembe people of the northeastern borderlands between Zimbabwe and Mozambique call the “Path of the Elephants.” Kondo reNzou is also a group of marimba players in Seattle, WA, that grew out of the University of Washington Zimbabwean Music Club. Comprising longtime Zimbabwean music enthusiasts from all across the country, we came together following the path of great teachers, and bring our collective styles, sounds and creativity.

Kudana means “to love one another” in the Shona language of Zimbabwe. This was the vision of our late founder, Ong Kar Walen, and continues to capture the essence of Kudana Marimba: to unite people with the heart and spirit of the whole planet. Using seven marimbas, singing, drums, electric guitar, mbira, horns and percussion, our group invites enthusiastic participation in joyful dance! Our energetic, visually engaging performances of traditional Zimbabwean and original songs create an uplifting experience.

Anzanga has been performing since 1987 nationally and internationally. The group has produced 5 recordings. Anzanga has appeared numerous times at Zimfest and look forward to sharing the music of Zimbabwe and compositions this year.

Lucky Moyo, western Zimbabwe (Plumtree) native and cultural educator now based in the UK, entertains with a solo gumboot dance.
Tsungai Tsikirai, Bulawayo transplant to the UK, debuts three tunes from her new African Queen recording.

ZiMBiRA’s music has been described as “feels good music”. Led by award winning Zimbabwean multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Zivanai Masango, this band will take you on a musical journey to Southern Africa that will leave your spirit uplifted and beaming with joy. Rooted in the rhythms, as well as cultural and musical traditions of Zimbabwe and Southern Africa, the beautifully polyrhythmic music of ZiMBiRA will surely make you want to dance and celebrate life.

Zambuko, an all African-American group, has been performing since 2008. Although the group has primarily performed in the Northwest, Zambuko has performed in Costa Rica at the Honorable Marcus Garvey Center. Zambuko is releasing its first recording this year. The group performs music from Eastern and Southern Africa including Kenya and Zimbabwe.

In Tacoma, Washington, Jeff Brahe teaches dozens of students through school, church, and community marimba groups. This group represents the intermediate and advanced side of that spectrum!

Mudzidzi (“learner” in Shona) Mbira is an ensemble from Eugene, Oregon. We play nhare mbira in a variety of tunings with a repertoire of primarily traditional Shona music. Mudzidzi grew from a mbira class taught by Joel Lindstrom at Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center in Eugene in 2009, and we have been privileged to study with many mbira masters from Zimbabwe and North America. We play at local community events, festivals and benefit concerts.

Kwaziwai presents traditional and contemporary Zimbabwean marimba music with high-energy and style. Kwaziwai is part of the Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center (http://kutsinhira.org), a Eugene-based non-profit dedicated to studying, teaching and sharing the music of Zimbabwe. “Kwaziwai” is a greeting in the Shona language of Zimbabwe. Kwaziwai continues the legacy of youth-performing ensembles growing up literally and musically through the Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center. From Dumi Maraire classics to traditional mbira-style pieces to contemporary compositions, Kwaziwai brings youthful energy to the Zimbabwean marimba music we all love. Having played together for over 8 years, most of the players are off to college. But those in Eugene still find the time to practice every week and now are taking up the mbira. The entire group recently traveled to Zimbabwe for a memorable two-week visit with teachers and friends.

Zimfest workshop students, join your teachers on-stage!

• Marimba: Rugare I Tribute to Alport Mhlanga with Michael Sibanda and students, guest performers welcome
• Singing: Zunguza Muviri (Shake Your Body) with Tipei Marazanye and students
• Dance: Gumboot Dance with Lucky Moyo and students

The seeds of Boka Marimba were planted when Marian Grebanier enlisted a group of people to take workshops with Dumi Maraire in the late 1980’s. A couple of years later the name Boka was chosen and the band began performing in the Portland area, under the guidance of Dumi and other visiting Zimbabwean teachers. A couple of current band members have been playing this music for over 30 years. Over the decades Boka has attracted new talent of all ages and continues to improve and evolve. The sheer pleasure of playing this music and the relationships formed with fellow Zimbabwean musicians are the glue that binds the band together.

Musekiwa Chingodza was born into a family of great mbira players in Mwangara village, Murewa, Zimbabwe, in 1970. He began playing mbira at the age of five and is self-taught. Through listening to other gwenyambira, or great mbira players, he developed a strong attachment to and love for mbira music. He has recorded solo albums and also in collaboration with Chris Berry, Jennifer Kyker, Bud Cohen, Sumi Madzitateguru, and Tute and Irene Chigamba. He continues to be in demand to play mbira at ceremonies in Zimbabwe. Since 1999, he has been a regular visitor to the U.S., sponsored biennially by Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center in Eugene, Oregon, and has recently extended his musical touring to include Japan and France. In 2024, he was commissioned by Grammy Award winning Third Coast Percussion to compose a mbira song for their 20th anniversary and record it with them. He says, “Our music is both medicine and food, as mbira has the power to heal and to provide for people. Mbira pleases both the living and the dead.”

Rubatano Marimba, based on Whidbey Island, WA, performs traditional and contemporary music from Zimbabwe. Playing this music is what we love to do, sharing it from deep within our hearts.

Formed in late 2023, Pamwe is a (mixed) marimba ensemble that consists of eight passionate musicians, hailing from various states in the western United States, including: New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Originally brought together in Polyphony Marimba, the band is united by their shared love for Zimbabwean mbira and marimba music. Now – as Pamwe – they embark on a new chapter of their musical journey together! They present a wide variety of sounds, ranging from traditional Shona music to their own original compositions. Each piece celebrates the marimba’s versatility and reflects the diverse musical backgrounds of our band members. Pamwe’s vision is to share the captivating music of Zimbabwe, which the members have dedicated their lives to learning. They also aim to reflect Zimbabwe’s musical influence on their own creative pursuits.