A singer from Zimbabwe, Stella Chiweshe is one of the few women who has mastered the mbira, an African thumb piano traditionally played by men. In Zimbabwe, the instrument is used in tribal spiritual music, and interestingly, it has also been embraced by some American jazz musicians. On Ambuya?, Chiweshe is joined by fellow mbira player Virginia Mkwesha and marimba players Samson Mirazi and Leonard Ngwena, as well as members of 3 Mustaphas 3 (an adventurous Western unit that has fused a wide variety of ethnic styles). Though this absorbing music shows her love of Zimbabwean traditions, Chiweshe isn't afraid of experimentation. Combining the mbira with marimbas, in fact, is unorthodox. Chiweshe, a passionate vocalist with a rough-edged vocal style, has commanded an appreciative following in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia), and Ambuya? points to the fact that she should be heard by Western ears as well. ~ Alex Henderson
Rovi
ムビラを奏する儀式は長時間に及ぶため、体力的にも女性が本格的にそれを奏することは一種のタブーに近かったが、ステーラ・チウェーシェは果敢にその難関に挑戦し、奏法をマスターし、場数を踏み、ムビラ奏者としての地歩を築いていった。さらに本作に録音されているように、ムビラをマリンバやエレキ・ベース、ドラムと合奏させるというタブーにも挑み、みごと成功させている。そして彼女の歌声は闊達で強く朗らかで人々の心に素直に届いていく、ごく自然に聞き届けられていく、精霊たちの心にも。
アフリカの祈りはしなやかでどこまでもくじけない祈り。しめやかに沈み込むのではなく、必ずやいつか晴れ晴れと浮ばれていく祈り。