Penguin Cafe Orchestra

#4769, Variations on Nhemamusasa

New Sounds | Aug 1, 2024

This edition of New Sounds focuses on the folk song "Nhemamusasa" from the Shona people of Zimbabwe. "Nhemamusasa", or “temporary shelter” in English, is traditionally accompanied by a thumb piano called an mbira. The mbira holds an important place in Shona culture and is used to communicate with ancestors and tribal guardians. 

We begin with a recording of "Nhemamusasa" from the 1970s Nonesuch Explorer series disc, originally recorded in Zimbabwe using two mbira and one rattle. From there we’ll see how this delightful traditional song inspired a myriad of variants from across the globe. These variations include Thomas Mapfumo’s “Hanzvadzi,” Monoswezi’s “Hwiri Hwiri Hwiri,” and the recently released “Shelter” written by Arthur Jeffes and performed by Penguin Cafe. - Laura Boyman

Program #4769, Variations on Nhemamusasa

ARTIST: Nonesuch Explorer Series
WORK: Nhemamusasa
RECORDING: Zimbabwe: Shona Mbira Music
SOURCE: Nonesuch
INFO: nonesuch.com/albums/zimbabwe-shona-mbira-music  

ARTIST: Penguin Cafe Orchestra
WORK: Cutting Branches for a Temporary Shelter
RECORDING: Penguin Cafe Orchestra
SOURCE: Virgin Records
INFO: Cutting Branches For A Temporary Shelter (Remastered 2008)

ARTIST: Penguin Cafe
WORK: Shelter
RECORDING: Rain Before Seven…
SOURCE: Erased Tapes Records Ltd.
INFO: penguincafe.bandcamp.com/album/rain-before-seven

ARTIST: Thomas Mapfumo
WORK: Hanzvadzi
RECORDING: The Best Of Thomas Mapfumo - Chimurenga Forever
SOURCE: Hemisphere
INFO: discogs.com/release/4458999-Thomas-Mapfumo-The-Best-Of-Thomas-Mapfumo-Chimurenga-Forever

ARTIST: Chiwoniso
WORK: Nhemamusasa
RECORDING: Ancient Voices
SOURCE: Lusafrica
INFO: discogs.com/release/5590553-Chiwoniso-Ancient-Voices

ARTIST: Glenn Kotche
WORK: Fantasy On A Shona Theme
RECORDING: Mobile
SOURCE: Nonesuch
INFO: discogs.com/release/774811-Glenn-Kotche-Mobile

ARTIST: Glen Velez
WORK: Sweet Season
RECORDING: Sweet Season
SOURCE: Emotional Rescue
INFO: emotional-rescue.bandcamp.com/album/sweet-season

ARTIST: Monoswezi
WORK: Hwiri Hwiri Hwiri
RECORDING: Shanu
SOURCE: Riverboat Records
INFO: worldmusic.net/products/monoswezi-shanu

ARTIST: Kevin Volans
WORK: Mbira 1
RECORDING: Private tape
SOURCE: Not commercially available

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