Thomas Mapfumo--- Los Alamos 2012, Festivo 2013 (video)

Last summer Zimbabwean musician Thomas Mapfumo (currently in exile as a critic of the Mugabe government) played one of the free outdoor Gordon's Concerts in Los Alamos, next to Ashley Pond.  The concerts are organized by Russ Gordon, and funded by the County and by local individual, institutional, and business donors.  Russ does an incredible job getting unbelievable talent, often somewhat lesser-known but almost always excellent.  Mapfumo, though, is not lesser-known, but rather world-renowned.  Amazing that we got him all to ourselves for a night of dancing to his complex, catchy polyrhythmic Zimbabwean music, heavily influenced by traditional Shona mbira music and all kinds of "afropop".  His lineup featured a crack horn section.  At the time it was tenor sax and, if I remember rightly, a trumpeter.  Just by looking at the video below, I recognize the sax player, although here he's playing alto sax, and his fellow horn section member is on trombone.

Very worthwhile 2013 concert video follows.  First piece sounds somewhat uptempo, hilife-influenced to me.  Second one (starting around 9'30) a bit slower, more hypnotic, still rhythmically complex.  And so forth.  Excellent stuff.  The horn section had more impact in person last summer...a really powerful combination with the mbira-like guitar and keyboard parts.  But this is a great set too:

 

 

1 thought on “Thomas Mapfumo--- Los Alamos 2012, Festivo 2013 (video)

  1. Gosto, sempre gostei de escutar musicas de Thomas Maphumo, alimentam a mente espiritual africana, para além do revolucionaríamos k Mr. Mukanha se tem dedicado em Prol dos direitos do homem em África particularmente nos países vizinho donde ele e oriundo.

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