Customer Reviews

Talking Mbira: Spirits of Liberation

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This album blew me away - if you've never heard mbira, this is a great album to begin with. Her music reminds me of Oliver Mtukudzi with her upbeat, yet somehow knowingly somber tones. Some nights she lulls me to sleep (Ndabaiwa),while others she wakes me up and readies me for the day (Uchiseka).

Through this album, Ambuya Stella Chiweshe reminds us that living requires breathing and through her voice and mbira, Stella Chiweshe gives us hope.

Enough has been said about Stella Chiweshe bucking tradition to become the first female gwenyambira. I'll just add she's the only solo mbira player who gives me the full hypnotic effects of a duo or trio. So the mbira solos on this alum are greatly appreciated. The problem is there are only four (1, 4, 7, 10), five if you include the excellent Nhamoimbiri, which has western drums and vocals. I'll be honest. I don't like marimba, they remind me of high school bands and their ultra-fast melodies are intrusive. So for me, they take away from some of the songs here, Chachimuranga, Manja and in particular Musandifungise, a great great song which is marred by an uptempo midsection where marimba feature prominently. But that's my only complaint though. Other pluses are that the lady can straight up sing, as the a capella Kune Rima attests. Or the pseudo South African vocal stylings on Uchiseka, which also has some Zim style guitar work. Also check out the super bass produced by the mbira on Tapera. Trippy.