Stella Chiweshe 1988-91 - Peel Sessions

"When I first heard the Sound of the mbira, I wanted to hear more of it everyday. I got sick and tired of making trips in search of mbira players to play for me to such an extend it caused me to learn the mbira so that I could play for myself. There were no mbira players in Masembura near Bindura where I lived". -- Stella Chiweshe

Stella Rimbisai Chiweshe born 1946 July 08 in Mujumhi, a village in Mhondoro Zimbabwe, the woman now known by her people as Ambuya Chinyakare (Grandmother of Traditional Music) has had to struggle hard every step of the way to becoming her true self, the Queen of Mbira. The colonial power, Britain, had banned the mbira, a traditional instrument of the Shona people. The Church told her that it was the work of the Devil and even her own people told her that it was taboo, an instrument that a woman could never play.
Yet by the mid-sixties, she had become recognised as a gifted maridzambira (mbiraplayer), playing at healing ceremonies, funerals, concerts and important parties and her debut single, "Kasahwa", had gone gold. After Zimbabwean independence in 1980, she was asked to join the National Dance Company (NDC) and toured throughout Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Australia, India, China, Korea and Europe. She left the NDC in 1985 when requests for her to play solo had expanded.
Since 1987 she has been on a continual tour of Europe, North America and Oceania, she participated in the WOMAD festivals (1994 in the United States, 1995 in Australia, and 2006 in Spain). In 2004 she toured England with her daughter. In addition to performing as a soloist, Chiweshe often performs in combination with guitars. She has also organized an international women's music festival in Zimbabwe.
So far she has recorded 22 local singles and 7 international albums. She become the first Zimbabwean female mbira player to gain international recognition, been awarded an MA from Harare University in 2003, won two ZIMA Awards in 2005 and healed countless troubled souls.
biographical info from peel.wikia.com and piranhashop
For a full chronology see the wiki page about Stella Chiweshe

CHIWESHE-STELLA-1988-91_Peel Sessions

Peel Session #1 - rec.1988.Mar.06 [bc.1988.Mar.14 / rpt.1988.Apr.06 and 1988.Dec.20]
tracks: 1.Kachembere / 2.Kana Ndikafa / Chapfudzapasi [missing]# / 4.Vana Vako Vapera
#tracknr.3 missing from these radio recordings, but listenable at youtube
notes: released in 1988 on Ndizvozvo (12" EP, Piranha #pir.21)
line-up: Stella Chiweshe - vocals, mbira. ngoma, clapping / Virginia M´Kwesha - mbira, hosho, clapping, chorus / Leonard Ngwenya - soprano marimba / David Tapfuma - baritone marimba / Joshua Areketa - drum kit / Tonderai Zinyau - bass guitar

Peel Session #2 - rec.1991.Jun.06 [bc.1991.Jul.20 / rpt.1991.Dec.20]
tracks: 1.Chimbochababa / 2.Serewende / 3.Guarangu / 4.Shungu
line-up: Stella Chiweshe - vocals, mbira, marimba / Gordon Mapika - drums / Eric Makakora - bass / Ephraim Saturday - guitar / Chinembira Chidodo - mbira / Leonard Ngwenya - marimba / Gilson Magoma - marimba

Bonus: John Peel playing in 1989 the song Katchembere with his in- and outros explaining some of "it's meaning"

Discographies see stellachiweshe / piranhashop / asahi-net  / musiques-afrique
There's music available directly from Stella's official bandcamp

PS: Stella was featured more than 2 years ago here in the Tour of Africa 2 (from Nigeria to Ethiopia)

NEVER EVER FORGET:

"il faut me pardonner - you must forgive me"

Pap Djah's last words before left on his own in the Sahara desert (in Niger)