Fradreck Mujuru Plays Chipembere in Mavembe Dongonda Tuning 2022

[@thonaci]

❤❤👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

[@andrewtracey145]

The way Fradreck plays this most popular of the 3 main mbira sequences, you can see why it's the one most often adapted into Afro-Western formats in Zimbabwe because it's so close to the world-wide C F C G7 sequence (sounding in Eb). Fradreck seems to be stressing the dominant 7th too, the fourth chord, and taking a few other 'liberties' with the song (from a strict Shona trad point of view) which hint at his familiarity with Western harmony.

[@fwah23]

I stayed with Sekuru Mujuru for a month and he said he used to play in an mbira blues band back in the day. It makes me wonder if he would play something like this differently in ceremony vs this video context, I'd guess so?

[@user-hx2gh6mu8q]

Wow

[@paulprince5672]

this is obviously a fantastic mbira beautifully played in the bell like sense and perfect harmonics Fradreck what you make -is just incredible ~!

[@lonsobelieve9075]

Aiwa rinotendwa. Yabatwa nevakuru ngoma yepasi!

[@denverbanda1740]

veMbire! Zimunya naSvosve

[@mbizi4573]

This is beautiful. But I am confused on the Mbira name...Mavembe Dongonda. Is it Mavembe tuning arranged as a Dongonda? Is there such a thing? Would love to own one

[@MBIRAthenonprofit]

Yes mavembe but the right hand keys are dongonda style (an octave lower except the lowest right hand key). We have one in stock by Josephat Mandaza at mbira.org/product/gandanga-mavembe-dongonda-mbira-made-by-josephat-mandaza/ or you can special order one from Fradreck Mujuru. Where are you located?

[@nuru0nuru]

Great stuff! Did you meet up with Forward at all on this year's trip?

[@dharam108]

any relation to Ephat?

[@MBIRAthenonprofit]

Fradreck is a first cousin (brother in Shona culture) to the late Ephat. Ephat was Muchatera Mujuru's oldest grandson, Fradreck the next oldest (different fathers).

[@dharam108]

@@MBIRAthenonprofit so he could, on a good day, be a channel for Chaminuka as well? : o ) he left way too soon!

[@MBIRAthenonprofit]

@@dharam108 That's not how it works for a really ancient spirit like Chaminuka. Also, you can see recordings of Ephat that you may not have yet on this page: mbira.org/player/ephat-mujuru/