Zimbabwean popular music star Chiwoniso Maraire is touring North America this fall in support of her upcoming album Rebel Woman, released by Cumbancha this month. Making stops at major festivals and select clubs, the tour is Chiwoniso’s first in the US and Canada. With powerful new material and a band of top Zimbabwean musicians, including members of her illustrious musical family, Chiwoniso’s performances will uplift audiences and serve notice that this gifted singer and songwriter merits recognition as one of Africa’s greatest young talents.
In recent months, Zimbabwe’s political and economic turmoil has thrust the turbulent African nation into international headlines. Based until recently in the capital city of Harare, Chiwoniso has lived in the eye of the storm, observing firsthand as her beloved homeland struggles to overcome the enduring legacies of colonialism, war, social inequality and political oppression. A devoted advocate of free speech, human rights and social justice, Chiwoniso’s music gives voice to the voiceless and speaks to the problems and joys of the world around her.
While her musical influences range from soul and R&B to reggae and rock, the entrancing sounds of the mbira serve as a central underpinning for the songs on Rebel Woman. Originating in the ancient Shona civilization of southern Africa, the mbira is a musical instrument made of metal tines attached to a wooden board. The player plucks the tines with their thumbs to create captivating interlocking melodies, which have accompanied ceremonies and celebrations for countless generations.
The Pacific Jazz Institute at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley
2033 6th Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98121
COST: $22.50
Buy the CD:
- In North America: Rebel Woman
- In Europe: Rebel Woman
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central
