Marimba & Mbira Music From Southern Africa
Otto Gumaelius is a London based, Botswana raised, performing artist & teacher of southern African folk music on the marimba.
All roads lead to the south of Sweden at the end of April for Zimba Marimba International Marimba Camp. It's going to be a stunning weekend of African music workshops in marimba, mbira, drumming, singing and dancing - with a fantastic line up of musicians and teachers from Zimbabwe, The Gambia, Tanzania and South Africa. This year the camp will attract keen participants from Sweden, Norway, Iceland and the UK.
Last year our marimba duo had the honour of being part of the world premier of Shabnam Shabazi's performance installation, Terra Nullius, commissioned by Spill for The Spill Festival of Performance - an international festival of live art, activism and performance presenting the work of exceptional artists from around the globe.
Here's a lovely video by the Pacitti Company showing highlights from the evening.
CHIMOIO is a lively, upbeat London based southern African fusion band playing original music with distinct cultural roots in Botswana and Zimbabwe.
We sing in English, Setswana and Chishona.
Using the marimba and mbira at the core of our music, we link our cultural past with the present, and project our hopes and aspirations for a greater world. We aim to spread joy and make people think, smile and dance.
Contact us today to make a booking.
Here are some pictures and videos from our show last night at the Migrant Business Show.
We had a great bank holiday Monday at Spitalfields performing some of our tunes at Pop Up Africa's market event - Africa at Spitalfields. Here are some pictures from the event. They're not the best quality - but I thought I'd share them anyways!
The 27th of April, 1994, was the day the first democratic election was held in South Africa. Ever since, it's been a day of celebration, as South Africans mark the liberation of their country and its people from a long period of colonialism and apartheid.
We were really pleased to have been invited to perform at Acklam Village Market to commemorate Freedom Day with the South African community in London.
We gave the audience two sets of music. The first was a more traditional, drumming set, with singing and dancing, and included songs like Shosholoza and liberation struggle song, Oliver Tambo Theta NoBotha.
We then brought in the marimbas for our second set, which really got the crowd going. We covered Miriam Makeba, Brenda Fassie, Mahotella Queens and Beatenberg to name a few. The tunes went down a huge treat!
Here are some videos from the night.
South African Liberation song Oliver Tambo Tetha noBotha
Our marimba cover of Brenda Fassie's Weekend Special
Xhosa wedding song, Qongqothwane, made famous by Miriam Makeba and commonly known as Click Song
If you wish to read more on South Africa Freedom Day and what it's all about, you can find some more information here.
Otto and The Mutapa Calling is a lively London based marimba band playing energetic, joyful music from Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, including folk songs, original songs and popular southern African covers. The band's set-up includes soprano, tenor and baritone marimbas, mbira, hosho, drumming and singing, with both traditional and contemporary dances. The marimba band’s sound is full of energy and pulsating rhythms - and their music shares the rich cultures, histories and stories of the people of southern Africa. Otto and The Mutapa Calling is a unique and colourful experience and is the only active professional marimba band of its kind in the United Kingdom.
www.ottogumaelius.com
Like on Facebook here
Follow on Instagram here
Listen on Spotify here
Watch on YouTube here