Some Favorite Tapes

Tape No.

200  Forward Kwenda on a Mountain at Mhondoro at Sunset

Forward Kwenda : solo gandanga-tuning mbira and vocals - recorded on a granite mountain, around the boulder from ancient Bushman paintings, in the rural Mhondoro area at sunset. Relaxed playing, sweet singing..he ultimate bedtime tape! 1996.

Beauler Dyoko

9    Beauler Dyoko - Solo Mbira and Singing

Beauler Dyoko playing solo mbira and vocals in 1991 at Erica Azim's reunion with one of her first mbira teachers. Straightforward playing with a funky rhythmic feel that gets ya, and a mixture of traditional lyrics and the often-feminist lyrics Beauler writes herself.

206  Newton Gwara - Solo Njari Makonde
       Tuning Mbira and Vocals

Newton Gwara, formerly the leader of the Nhera Vauya Brothers, playing solo njari makonde-tuning mbira (made by him) and vocals. Recording this tape was one of the most amazing experiences of my 1996 trip - it was like witnessing a spirit playing music through a sweetly transparent person. My companions cried through the first song, danced through the second..I tried to hang in there and make the tape. Hope you love it as much as I do. - Erica Azim

207  Musekiwa Chingodza - Solo Mbira and Vocals

Musekiwa Chingodza playing solo mbira and vocals, recorded outside his house in Highfield, Harare. Accomplished playing and sweet, sweet singing from this 30-year old performer. 1996.

82    Bira Ceremony with Mhuri yekwaMuchena

Hear all the sounds of a traditional ceremony: mbira, hosho, singing, clapping, and more. 1987.

140  1991 Trip Sampler

Favorites from Erica Azim's 1991 trip recordings - tapes 1 - 19 - useful in choosing future tapes to order.

141  1994 Trip Sampler

Favorites from Erica Azim's 1994 trip recordings - tapes 100 - 115 - useful in choosing future tapes to order.

143  Best of Forward Kwenda - Vol. 1

Selections from early recordings of "the Coltrane of mbira" Forward Kwenda, age 17 to 25.. soulful mbira prodigy takes you on deep inner journeys - prepare to laugh and cry! A "don't miss" for jazz fans because of the improvisation - a "don't miss", period.

144  The Healing Tape

Tute and Palmer Chigamba (brothers) recorded in 1985 by Glenn Makuna. Perhaps the most relaxing, tension-free mbira playing ever recorded. Erica Azim named this beautiful recording The Healing Tape because it got her through some hard times, and friends and family all claimed it helped them get through illnesses, accidents, and emotional trauma. We get phone calls from across the country "Can you send me a copy of The Healing Tape today, I need one for my mom who's in the hospital". This is about an hour of music excerpted from tape 50, repeated to fill 90 minutes with music of the same energy.

5    Tute Chigamba - Solo Nyamaropa Tuning Mbira

Calm, virtuoso solo-style playing recorded in Chigamba's remote village in northeastern Zimbabwe. This one is the favorite of classical music fans. 1991

11   Thomas "Sekuru Gora" Wadharwa and Tute Chigamba -
       Gandanga Tuning Mbira and Vocals

Perhaps the only recording of these two mbira "Greats" playing together, recorded at Chigamba's house in 1991. Sekuru Gora was recovering from a serious illness at the time, but the music and his vocals were as great as ever. If you have heard the Zimbabwe lps of Ephat Mujuru's mbira group in the 1980's, those great vocals were Sekuru Gora. 1991

113  Cosmas Magaya 1994

Very articulate solo playing from one of the members of Mhuri yekwaRwizi, the group featured on the first mbira lps released in the US in the 1970's: The Soul of Mbira (now available on cd) and Shona Mbira Music (out of print).

203  Ephat Mujuru - Solo Dambatsoko Mbira at Domboshawa

Ephat Mujuru playing solo Dambatsoko tuning mbira recorded outside the Domboshawa caves, "old songs my grandfather (Muchatera Mujuru) taught me," including some pieces rarely heard today. 1996.

For more favorites, go to Latest Recordings

To order tapes, go to Recordings Order Form