Experience the Roots & Rhythms of Mbiriano Jazz with Filbert Marova!
From starting with Frontline Kids and composing the legendary hit “BP ” to founding the Zimbabwe Jazz Community Trust and earning international coverage on CNN’s African Voices, Filbert Marova stands as one of Zimbabwe’s most distinctive jazz innovators. His signature Mbiriano style blends traditional Mbira polyrhythms with modern chromatic jazz keyboard improvisation.
Metamorphosis. The word itself evokes a sense of profound change, a radical transformation from one state of being to another. In nature, we witness this marvel most vividly in the life cycle of a butterfly – the humble caterpillar, earthbound and consuming, retreats into the quiet solitude of a chrysalis, only to emerge later as a creature of breathtaking beauty, winged and airborne. This process isn’t just a simple growth; it’s a complete reinvention, a biological alchemy that turns crawling into flight.
This natural wonder serves as a powerful metaphor for change and evolution in many aspects of life, including the arts. Here in Harare, we are anticipating a musical metamorphosis of our own with the upcoming release of Filbert Marova’s album, aptly titled ‘Metamorphosis’. Marova, a musician deeply respected for his mastery of the guitar, piano, mbira, the soul-stirring thumb piano central to Zimbabwean musical heritage, is embarking on a transformative journey, fusing its ancient, spiritual resonance with the vibrant, improvisational language of jazz.
Just as the caterpillar undergoes distinct stages, Marova’s music draws from two powerful, yet distinct, traditions. The mbira, with its intricate polyrhythms and deep connection to Shona culture and spirituality, represents one stage – grounded, historical, and resonant with ancestral voices. Jazz, born from a different continent and cultural experience, represents another – characterized by its harmonic complexity, improvisational freedom, and dynamic expression.
The ‘chrysalis’ stage, in this musical parallel, is the creative process itself – the period of intense experimentation, blending, and reimagining where these two distinct musical forms interact, influence, and reshape each other. It’s within this space that Marova, the artist, acts as the catalyst, guiding the transformation. He isn’t simply placing mbira melodies over jazz chords; he is weaving them together, allowing the call-and-response feel inherent in both traditions to converse, letting the mbira’s cyclical patterns find new dimensions within jazz harmonies, and infusing the improvisational spirit of jazz into the mbira’s voice.
The anticipated result, the ’emergence’, is Marova’s ‘Metamorphosis’ – an entirely new musical entity. Like the butterfly, it carries traces of its former self but exists in a completely new form. It promises a sound that is both deeply rooted in Zimbabwean tradition and refreshingly global in its outlook. It’s the sound of cultural conversation, of artistic evolution, of the beautiful potential that arises when different worlds collide and create something novel and exciting.
Filbert Marova’s upcoming album isn’t just a collection of songs; it’s a testament to the power of transformation. It reminds us that, like in nature, true innovation often comes from embracing change, from daring to fuse disparate elements, and from allowing something entirely new and beautiful to take flight. It’s a celebration of musical alchemy, a uniquely Zimbabwean metamorphosis set to unfold on the world stage.
I’m excited to announce that I’ve been working hard on translating some key music terms from English to Shona!
This project is close to my heart, and I believe it will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding Shona music traditions.
Here are some examples of the terms I’ve translated so far:
Scale – manera emhanzi
Arpeggio -manera akataramuka emhanzi
Staff – nyorero
Bar – mupanda
Barline – chipatsanuro chemipanda
Treble Clef – Mazwi akakwira
Bass Clef – mazwi akadzika
Melody – Shauro
Rhythm – Mafambiro
Harmony -Tsinhiro
Dynamics – Manzwiro
Form – mamiriro
Timbre – izwi
Texture – maumbirwo
Note Value – tsoka
Semibreve – tsoka huru
Minim – tsoka yepakati
Crotchet – tsoka kwayo
Quaver – tsoka diki
Semiquaver – tsoka dikisa
Rest – chinyaradzo
Repeat sign – Dzokeredza
End sign – Pedza
Key – mhuri
Major key – mhuri yekutanga
Minor key -mhuri yemwana
Chord – kubatana
Major chord – kubatana kwevabereki
Minor chord – kubatana kwevana
Diminished chord – kubatana kwevavakidzani
Augmented chord – kubatana kweshamwari
Performance – mutambo
Composition – chirukwa
Song – rwiyo
Songs – nziyo
Music – mumhanzi
Playing – kuridza
Instrument – chiridzwa
Instruments – zviridzwa
Instrument Families – mhando dzezviridzwa
Playing method – maridzirwo
Chordophones – zviridzwa zvetambo
Aerophones – zviridzwa zvinofuridzwa
Idiophones – zviridzwa zvemiti nesimbi
Membranophones – zviridzwa zvematehwe
Electrophones -zviridzwa zvemagetsi
Plucking – kutekenya
Strumming – kukwenya
Blowing – kufuridza
Hitting – kurova
Bowing – kupuruzira
Shaking – kukuchukudza
Allegro – mhanya
Andante – famba
Lento – famba zvinyoro
Cantabile – seunoimba
Musician – gwenyambira
Singer – muimbi
Soloist – muimbi mumwe
Duet – vaimbi vaviri
Trio – vaimbi vatatu
Quartet – vaimbi vana
Quintet – vaimbi vashanu
Choir – vaimbi vazhinji
Key signature – mamiriro emhuri
Time signature – mafambiro enguva
Dynamics – Kushongedzwa
I’m still working on expanding this list, and I would love your help!
If you know of any other important music terms that need translation, please comment below or send me a message directly. I’m also open to suggestions for alternative translations for the terms I’ve already listed.
Enjoy Shiriano, a Mbiriano song as you brainstorm.
Introducing the concept of form in music can be done effectively using a variety of engaging and interactive methods. Here are some effective strategies to introduce form in music:
Start with familiar examples: Begin by analyzing simple and well-known songs that students are likely to be familiar with. Popular children’s songs, nursery rhymes, or widely recognized folk songs can serve as excellent starting points.
Focus on repetition and variation: Highlight the repetition of musical elements, such as melodies, rhythms, and harmonies, as the foundation of musical form. Demonstrate how repetition creates familiarity and unity, while variations add contrast and interest.
Introduce musical symbols: Use standard musical notation or simplified symbols to represent different sections of the song. For instance, assign letters like A, B, or C to different sections to identify their repetition or variation.
Incorporate movement and gestures: Engage students physically by encouraging them to move their bodies or use hand gestures to represent different sections of the song. This can help them internalize the structure of the music.
Create visual representations: Use graphic organizers, charts, or diagrams to visually depict the form of the song. This can provide a clear and concise representation of the musical structure.
Analyze contrasting examples: Compare songs with different forms, such as binary form (ABA) and ternary form (ABA’), to demonstrate the concept of variation in musical structures.
Encourage musical exploration: Provide students with opportunities to analyze and identify the form of various songs independently or in group activities. This can foster self-discovery and deeper understanding.
Connect form to other art forms: Draw parallels between musical form and the structure of narratives, poems, or other art forms to highlight the universal concept of organization and coherence.
Utilize technology: Employ interactive music notation software or online tools to create visual representations of musical form and manipulate them for further exploration.
Make it fun and engaging: Incorporate games, puzzles, or creative activities related to musical form to keep students engaged and motivated.
Mbiriano music is characterized by its complex rhythms, polyphony, and improvisation. It often evokes a meditative and uplifting atmosphere, transporting listeners to another world.Marova’s compositions seamlessly interweave the deep spiritual and healing qualities of mbira music with the energy and creativity of jazz, creating a sound that is both soothing and exhilarating.
Listen to Muvhuro, a Mbiriano track and figure out the form.
