Recording live matepe music has always been a challenge. Capturing its sound outside a Deze comes out so clean but makes it sound so “mechanical”. Though recording it in a Deze could be the best, it comes with challenges. The buzzing from the bottle tops around the Deze always dominate swallowing the sound of the…

Othnell Mangoma Moyo Chiwayawaya drumming on Sekuru Chawasarira´s drum. This is the first time Mangoma plays this drum so loud. The comparison is between a Djembe and a Shona drum.

After playing Mudzimu woye, a sekuru Chawasarira´s own Nhare inspired song, he goes on to demonstrate how to drum and sing to this song. The drumming is different from Matepe drumming, it is more inclined to Nhare styles.

Every time the team gets a break from recording, they cease the opportunity to put to practice some of the lessons Sekuru Chawasarira would have delivered in previous recordings.

Matepe 21st team Sekuru Chaka Chawasarira, Othnell Mangoma Moyo and Kuda Samora Nyaruwabvu at ZiFM studios in an interview with Patience Musa on Matepe documentation project. Stefan Franke joined the interview from Germany.

After recording Mauya Mauya overdub, sekuru decided to use another Matepe to enrich the rhythm. Samora installs piezos on the Matepe sekuru goes on to use on the overdubs.

James Kamwaza took the time we had with him to show us how he makes his Mbiras. After a long day of fixing the keys and tuning, he took the opportunity to play a few songs with Sekuru, two Matepe masters sharing some lighter moments.