WOEBOT

Zimbabwean Score.

I picked this up for 6 quid the other day, I liked the cover and took a risk. Well done me. It's been produced at Harare's Shed Studios. That's a great progeny, Shed Studios must have produced loads of brilliant records not least of which being Mapfumo's Gwindingwi Rine Shumba the chimurenga classic. Both records have the same tell-tale look photo printed onto rough unbleached paper which gives them a sepia tint almost accidentally. I reckon it dates to 1983.

The record is totally amazing, Ephat on the left plays Mbira, Tabetha is on Hosho (shakers) and Thomas Gora on the right is on the mic. It's pitched somewhere between the traditional and the urban which the more you know about African music, the more you realise are completely artificial constructions. Just check out Tabetha's Hosho come in, that's electrifying, and Thomas sounds like he's singing in reverse! WOW!

Posted by Woebot at April 5, 2003 07:09 PM