About Mabanzi

Mabanzi plays high energy, polymelodic rhythms and soulful grooves that move the body and spirit. A Mabanzi performance is guaranteed to get you up and dancing. People of all ages respond with enthusiasm and delight when hearing this joyful upbeat music from Zimbabwe.

Besides concert performances, Mabanzi is also available for workshops and other educational events teaching and demonstrating Zimbabwean style music.

Instrumentation consists of seven marimbas (three sopranos, two tenors, a baritone, and a bass), gourd shakers called hosho, mbira ("thumb piano"), guitar, bass and drums. Performing original and traditional compositions and ancient mbira arrangements rooted in Zimbabwean styles and the songs are sung in the Shona language.

A Brief History

Mabanzi was first formed in 2002 by a fortuitous set of circumstances bringing the only three people on Oahu who played Shona music together at a block party. Shortly after Chris Zorn moved to Oahu from Colorado where he had been teaching Shona marimba music for the last decade. Thus the first Shona marimba group in the islands was born. That group was called Matanzima and performed around the island. In 2003 the group changed personnel and became Mabanzi Marimba. Today Mabanzi has 12 members including the addition of vocals, guitar, bass and drums into the mix.

Band Member Bios