On WORT 89.9 FM PANAFRICA: Music from Zimbabwe, Zambia and Interview with Zimbabwe Musicians Matemai and Jacob Mafueni

On WORT 89.9 FM Panafrica Show (http://www.wort-fm.org/listen.php), this Saturday, November 19th, 2-4 PM CST, we head down south to Southern African countries of Zimbabwe and Zambia to explore the rich musical and cultural heritage of these countries on our World is Africa tour. We speak with the respected master mbira musician, singer, instrument maker from Zimbabwe, Matemai (born Newton Cheza Chozengwa). Matemai's latest album Shanda Ugarike complex mbira arrangements and striking voice that can pierce hearts and the heavens. We next catch up with the up and coming talentJacob Mafueni and his Sweet Calabash sound, who plays an eclectic Afrofusion style of Zimbabwe Mbira music with West African and African Jazz influences. 

Zimbabwe, formerly known as Southern Rhodesia is landlocked and located between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. Much of the Zimbabwean music includes folk and pop styles, centered around the well known Mbira musical instrument. The Mbira, often called a thumb piano, is an integral part of Zimbabwean music. Popular Mbira musicians include Dumisani Maraire, Ephat Mujuru, Forward Kwenda, Stella Chiweshe, Chartwell Dutiro, Beauler Dyoko, Cosmas Magaya, Musekiwa Chingodza, Hakurotwi Mude, Chiwoniso Maraire and Tute Chigamba. Popular genres include the native Chimurenga (Popularized by the Lion of Zimbabwe Thomas Mapfumo), Shona music, Sungura music, Tuku music (popularized by Zimbabwe legend Oliver Mtukudzi), Jit music (Bhundhu Boys), Rumba, and Urban grooves. 

Zambia, formerly Northern Rhodesia is also landlocked and shares border with Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola. Originally inhabited by Khoisan peoples, the region of what is now Zambia was reached by the Bantu expansion by ca. the 12th century. Due to the numerous influences, the music of Zambia has a rich cultural heritage and consists of traditional, popular and christian gospel. Zambian music is characterized by the extensive use of Call and Response found in many African cultures. Traditional instruments include Ngoma drums, variety of membranophones, animal horns called Nyeele,  and various thumb pianos such as Tonga have kankobela, the Mbunda withkathandi, the Lozi with kangombio, the Lunda play chisanzhi, and the Nsenga folks who play kalimba. Zambia also produced some of the early guitarists out of Africa including John Lushi, William Mapulanga, and Stephen Tsotsi Kasumali. A new breed of artists including JK, Danny, Shatel, and Black Muntu, are extremely popular and produced by Zambia's most successful record label,  Mundu music corporation  

Join us for Progressive music and discussion on Saturday, 2-4 PM. 


Panafrica Team

-- Alhaji N'jai & Linda Vakunta (Dj Linda)
PanAfrica Show (Saturdays 2-4 pm CST)
WORT 89.9 FM Madison
Wisconsin, USA
Ph: (608)-256-2001
Email: panafrica.music@gmail.com