The mbira is a Zimbabwean instrument consisting of metal keys mounted on a wooden soundboard, which is often used to accompany stories, songs, and dance. Mbira music is an important part of the culture of the Shona people in Zimbabwe. After Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain in 1980, music forms which had been banned during the colonial period became symbolic of the newly independent Zimbabwe, specifically traditional mbira music and mbira-inspired popular music. As the title suggests, the focus of the discussion is on mbira music, specifically on how Zimbabwean mbira music is today presented and interpreted in an international context.
This volume describes mbira music by focusing on the musical interactions of a specific musician, Chartwell Dutiro, a renowned Zimbabwean mbira player who has lived in Britain since 1994. Though Chartwell learned mbira in Zimbabwe as a young boy, he also played saxophone with a brass band as a teenager. His experiences as a musician both in Zimbabwe and in Britain inform his descriptions of mbira music and the accompanying culture. Though he began by learning the mbira in Zimbabwe, his music today reflects the many influences that have been present in his life. Besides serving as a good introduction to and description of mbira music, the book discusses how mbira music is changing due to the musicians who have been influenced by international music forms and training.
The chapters in the book are individually written, each authored by a student or colleague of Chartwell’s. Many aspects of mbira that are important besides the music are discussed, including politics and culture. Context and perspective are provided in the first three chapters through descriptions of Zimbabwe and the history of Zimbabwean music. The first chapter consists of an interview with Chartwell Dutiro, in which his background and his philosophy on music are addressed. The history and politics of Zimbabwe are discussed in the second chapter of the book, especially important when considering the many influences that have changed mbira music and its uses within the culture. The third chapter discusses the spiritual component of mbira within Zimbabwean culture, including biras (spiritual ceremonies), spiritual mediums, and ancestral spirits.
The remaining chapters of the book focus on the music, using a CD that is included with the book as an introduction to and example of Chartwell Dutiro’s music. Chapter 4 provides an insight into Chartwell’s creation of music, especially through mbira playing. This chapter includes analyses of specific performances, recording sessions, and practices as noted and interpreted by a musician who performs with Chartwell. The general structure of mbira music is discussed in chapter 5, including the polyphonic and polyrhythmic patterns that are used in the production of mbira music, as well as elements such as kushaura and kutsinhira, which are similar to call and response. Chapter 6 discusses the use of notation by researchers, as mbira is often a form passed down from teacher to student without the use of notation. This chapter includes examples of notation forms used by several researchers. Chapters 7 and 8 focus on the CD, providing the reader with the music notations for the CD in chapter 7 and in chapter 8, with the lyrics in Shona with translations.
This book is the first in a series sponsored by the AHRC Research Centre for Cross-Cultural Music and Dance Performance (www.soas.ac.uk/musicanddance). Each book in the series is the result of a collaborative research project between researchers and one or more musicians or dancers who are known for their understanding of music or dance. The book serves as a good addition to the written works that are available on mbira and Zimbabwean mbira music, contributing to what has already been done through the addition of a specific musician’s understanding of international and outside influences.
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[Review length: 625 words • Review posted on June 19, 2008]