New African Composers captures the classic compositions of legendary African artists from Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Dance to the melodies from the shores of the Indian Ocean, to the slopes of majestic Mt. Kilimanjaro and into the heart of Zimbabwe.

***** MAESTRO NDALA KASHEBA ***** Dar es Salaam

Kasheba is originally from Lubumbashi, Congo. In 1972 he settled in Dar after travelling and gigging all over East Africa. He earned respect and admiration as leader of the "Orchestra Safari Sound", which he left in the early 1980's. His music is well loved across the region. He is known as one of the greatest African guitarists, appointed the title "Maestro" by his fans.

***** ACHIGO BAND *****
Dar es Salaam

The Achigo Band, led by guitar giant Nguza Mbangu Viking of "Orchestra Marquis" fame, is a solidly operating music machine. This group keeps the audience on their feet from Friday through Sunday at a variety of popular Dar es Salaam venues.

***** YEKETE BEAT *****
Arusha

Swahili spices blend into highlife to make a substantial brew. Refreshing from the first sip. The Yekete Beat band hails from the garden of Eden known as Arusha, Tanzania. You can find them in the shadow of Kilimanjaro. They come from a variety of ethnic traditions and blend them into one dance music style. They were the first to use popular lullabies as breaks and for choruses in their songs.

*****DELPHIN MUNUNGA *****
Congo/Dar es Salaam

Delphin is originally from Lubumbashi, Congo. He grew up in the 1960's, listening to the music float into the windows of his downtown home, from where he spied the musicians performing in nearby clubs. He wistfully recalls hearing Ndala Kasheba, Fauvette - Safari Nkoy, and other big bands. He listened and learned.

Realizing a childhood dream he was recruited to sing with Kasheba's "Zaita Musica" in Dar es Salaam, and on tour to Europe. He has since travelled with his own group, Esthetic Music, to Arabia, Asia and through eastern and southern Africa. His voice is finely tuned to a wide range and repetoire. On this album he performs solo, a capella, with improvisation inspired by spiritual melodies from his youth in church choirs.

***** GARIKAYI TIRIKOTI *****
Zimbabwe

In 1968, when Garikayi was about eight years old, he left his rural village and went to Wedza, to another uncle's village, and there he built his own mbira and started playing at ceremonies. He had to set out walking in the early afternoon to arrive at the ceremony by evening, and then he would play for two or three days without sleeping. It was hard work - walking, playing, then walking back home.

But he kept this up for seven years, and with the small amount of money that he was paid for playing he managed to pay his own school fees. When Garikayi was fifteen, he returned to live in his mother's village.

In 1980 he started experimenting with changing and mixing different tunings. He was inspired in this effort by his dreams. This was the beginning of Garikayi's now famous "mbira orchestra".

Over the years the dreams continued and Garikayi was shown many songs and tunings, until by 1999 he was arranging traditional mbira songs as well as his own compositions for an eight piece mbira orchestra. This compilation includes two compositions from his upcoming album "MaiDei".