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Originally from California, Chris is “one of the living masters of African drumming.” Chris has roots in both hand percussion and the Shona mbira. He is a fluent Shona speaker and gwenyambira ("one whose music calls the spirits"), a distinction reserved only for those who have achieved the highest fusion of the technical and the magical in music. Chris was Randy’s first teacher and encouraged much of his initial musical creativity with marimba music. www.chrisberry.net
Musekiwa 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 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." In 1991 Musekiwa was a key member of the band Panjea, founded by Chris Berry. He composed the hit song "Ganda" on Panjea's Zimbabwean album. Currently Musekiwa teaches mbira at Prince Edward School in Harare. He is an excellent singer, dancer and drummer and plays both mbira dzavadzimu and nyunga nyunga.
Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Rujeko's early life was profoundly influenced by African musicians, healers, and Shona tradition. She left Africa to continue her education in America. Currently Rujeko teaches African dance in New York, tours nationally and internationally and runs Camp Tumbuka with Chris Berry. www.panjea.org
Beauler Dyoko is one of the best-known female mbira players and singers in Zimbabwe. She has performed with Mhuri yekwa Rwizi/Soul of Mbira groups and her own band for many years in Zimbabwe and throughout the world. She and her 10-member band have made several recordings. She has visited Boulder many times and her visits always bring a profound and deep understanding of Shona music and culture to all who study with her.
David Gweshe is a true pioneer of Zimbabwean music, constantly expanding the boundaries of traditional Shona music. Whether playing mbira at a bira ceremony or leading a group playing electric guitars, marimba, accordion or steel drum -- the wisdom of his spirituality comes through. Born in 1940, Sekuru Gweshe comes from the Budya people, a subgroup of the Kore Kore. He is a descendant of Nehoreka, the first of the Budya people and the founder of the Shumba totem originating in Tanganyika ( Tanzania). He began playing njari at age 14 and over time added keys to the njari in order to "play all the parts" of the music that he heard in his head. This is how Sekuru Gweshe devised the Munyonga mbira featured on his CD Mhuri YekwaNehoreka. The songs that Sekuru Gweshe plays are mainly played at religious functions in which the music is used to summon ancestral spirits.
Sekuru Gweshe is a spiritual leader who has an important message for the people of today. He feels that through colonization and suppression of the indigenous cultures of the world, people have lost their sense of self-importance and the power of their traditional culture. The 'civilized madness' of today is not helping eliminate the problems of drought, disease, and corruption. He believes that by going back to our ancestors, we can learn to fix these problems.
Cosmas Magaya is an internationally recognized mbira player and teacher and is the leader of the ensemble Mhuri yekwa Magaya. He has been an avid student and player of mbira dzavadzimu from the time he was eight, when he `pinched' his cousin's instrument for surreptitious study. Sekuru Magaya is a master of the instrument, having studied with many great players. He has performed with the renowned Mhuri yekwa Rwizi mbira group for over 25 years, participating with them in concert tours of Europe and the U.S. He was instrumental in the writing of Paul Berliner's The Soul of Mbira in the 1970s, and continues to work closely with Dr. Berliner as a consultant on Zimbabwean music. Sekuru Magaya experienced both sides of Christian and Traditional life as he grew up. His parents were married in the Roman Catholic Church, and his father was a renowned n'anga, or traditional healer, as well as a cultural expert whose advice was sought by people from all walks of life.
Zi is an amazingly versatile musician, performer and teacher of Zimbabwean music and culture. Primarily a guitarist, he is also a vocalist, plays trumpet, keyboards, mbira and marimba among other instruments. Zivanai has appeared on hundreds of recordings in various capacities, played trumpet and guitar with Thomas Mapfumo, is currently lead guitarist in Chris Berry's exceptional pop band, Panjea. He is also a well-respected sound engineer and producer and recently released a new CD of his own compositions. zivimusic.com
Paul is originally from Bikita, in the southeastern province of Masvingo. Paul has been playing marimba for since he was a young boy and is known for his complexly beautiful compositions and arrangements. He has taught in schools in and around the Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe as well as in primary schools in Harare. Currently, he is living, working and playing marimba in the Seattle area with his band Ruvizo.
Sheasby is a highly respected Zimbabwean musician, adept at playing mbira, ngoma, hosho and marimba, and at teaching choral singing. He has traveled far and wide, conducting workshops and lecture demonstrations in Sweden, Norway, Australia, the United States and many African countries. From 1997 to 1999, Sheasby was an artist in residence with the International Vocal Ensemble at Indiana University. At present he is completing a PhD in Ethnomusicology at Indiana University.
A principal member of Akrowa Cultural Performance Ensemble at the Academy of African Music and Arts in Accra, Ghana, he has trained with world-renowned master drummers Moustapha Teddy Addy and Obo Addy. He has toured internationally with the Royal Ga Troupe, Obonu on Peter Gabriel's WOMAD Festival and has collaborated with Pharaoh Sanders.
He currently directs Logo Ligi, which consists of musicians and dancers who have studied Ghanaian music for many years. The troupe is dedicated to celebrating and teaching the style and spirit of traditional Ghanaian performance art. Music is used in African communities for ritual ceremonies like weddings and births, as well as for the everyday celebration of life and social engagements. logoligi.com
Peter has taught marimba since 1994. He has studied with Dumisani Maraire, Mai Chi, Ephat Mujuru and Chris Berry. Peter has played in Boko Marimba, JAKA, Trillium and directed the youth ensemble Tatenda for many years. He’s also taught at Camp Tumbuka for several years.
Born in Conakry, Guinea, West Africa, Fara Tolno spent most of his youth growing up in Kissidougou and Conakry. Playing djembe since the age of 9, he has traveled extensively teaching both drumming and dance. He spent 9 years as the lead drummer for the Merveailles (the younger ensemble akin to Le Ballet African) under the tutelage of Kemoko Sano. Fara was one of the accompanying drummers when Mamady Keita was in Arizona a few years ago.
Fara has a wonderful way of teaching the expert concepts and techniques of the djembe to western players of all levels, and his energetic style make his drum and dance classes very fun! www.faratolno.com
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Rujeko Dumbutshena
Ambuya Beauler Dyoko
David Gweshe
Cosmas Magaya
Zivanai Masango
Paul Mataruse
Maputo Mensah
Peter Swing
Fara Tolno
