• the music
    • sound of mbira
    • aspects of mbira
    • kushaura & kutsinhira
    • songs & song families
    • rhythm
    • singing
    • participation
  • the instrument
    • African mbiras
    • mbira dzavadzimu
    • construction
    • tunings
    • buzz
    • resonators
    • hosho
  • culture
    • Shona culture
    • Shona spirituality
    • tradition
  • contemporary
  • musicians
  • learning
  • mbiratube
 

sources

This web site draws on the efforts of many, including:

web sites

  • www.mbira.org
  • www.zamuko.org
  • Dandemutande
  • N. Scott Robinson's web site
  • Michael Williams' "Getting Started with Mbira dzaVadzimu"
  • Mbira Junction
  • Banning Eyre's articles on Afropop Worldwide
  • Mushawaparara Mbira Group's web site

books

  • Paul Berliner's The Soul of Mbira (1993)
  • David Locke in Worlds of Music: An Introduction to the Music of the World's Peoples (1996)
  • Manuel Jimenez in Zimbabwean Music on an International Stage (2007)
  • Andrew Tracey's "How to play the mbira (dza vadzimu)" (1970 - out of print)

resources

recorded music

Some, but certainly not all, sources of mbira music.

dandemutande Erica Azim's extraordinary collection of field recordings made over the past 40 or so years in Zimbabwe. Essential. (Put your grocery money aside before browsing the catalog.) And now includes audio samples.
dandemutande Dandemutande is the central source for mbira (and other Shona music) recordings from a wide range of sources and labels. Now includes audio samples. And you can search by song!
Mhumi Joel Laviolette's Mhumhi Records has recorded such greats as Simon Mashoko, Sekuru Gora and Newton Gwara, as well as compilations such as the Mbira DzaVaNdau of the Ndau people in South Eastern Zimbabwe.
Mhumi Nonesuch Records publishes the essential collections from the 1970s Zimbabwe: Shona Mbira Music and Zimbabwe: The Soul of Mbira.
kutsinhira

A source for the recordings of Cosmas Magaya, Beauler Dyoko, Musekiwa Chingoza and others.
dandemutande An essential source for 20th century African music.
dandemutande Emusic's MP3 downloads are beginning to include some commercially released Shona music
dandemutande World music MP3s, includes some mbira such as the recordings of Stella Chiweshe.

mbiras

Some sources for purchasing mbiras (now from outside Zimbabwe but we intend to include Zimbabwean mbira makers).

dandemutande Mbiras in many tunings from mbira makers Newton Gwara, Sam Bvure, Gaikai Tirikoti and others.
dandemutande

Mbiras in many tunings from mbira makers Tute Chigamba, Fradreck Mujuru, Josephat Mandaza, Rinos "Simboti" Mukuwurirwa, Murawo Tembedza, Sam Bvure and many others.