Album Review
Some people forge unique connections with their instruments. Zimbabwe's Garikayi Tirikoti is one of them. His main instrument is the mbira, or thumb piano, of his native Shona people. Not only does he play it superbly, he's also a craftsman who builds them, and a composer, writing for them (his talents as a musician also extended to hosho and ngoma), and as a singer. The seven tracks on Maidei illustrate just how good he is. There's an resonant richness to his mbira playing, as lines build over lines, creating layers of cascading melodies. The forms of the songs will seem fairly familiar to Western ears, with verses and choruses, understated rhythmic accompaniment, and vocals that slide gorgeous over the ear (Tirikoti's nephew Lee helps out on backing vocals). You won't understand a word of the Shona lyrics, but the booklet contains good translations and explanations, although it really isn't that important — enjoy the music for what it is. "Chavechinyakare," for example, offers an homage to traditional music that's as catchy as any pop song and shows the possibility of the mbira as an instrument outside out usual spiritual role. But throughout this album Tirikoti brings the mbira into unusual places, developing its sound in a way few players have. He uses its hypnotic qualities to great effect on the opener, "Usaore Moyo," but elsewhere he emphasizes its textures and tones, and the way he uses it in the writing of full songs. A remarkable record, especially for anyone who'd dismissed the mbira as just another ethnic instrument.
