Inspired by the power of music to express strong feelings and unite communities, Bay Area native Kelly Takunda Orphan Martinez has been singing, dancing, playing percussion, and writing songs for a few decades now, often collaborating with amazing artists from Zimbabwe. Joining her tonight will be her group the KTO Project, Zimbabwean mbira master Musekiwa Chingodza, and many special guests with whom she’s had the pleasure to play for the past 20 years.
In 1994, after recording and touring with Babatunde Olatunji and African Rain, Kelly went to Zimbabwe to study music and dance, and wound up performing for Nelson Mandela. Since then, she has toured nationally and internationally with Keith Terry and Crosspulse, founded the women’s vocal and percussion ensemble Mutama, performed with the Peruvian group Nosotras, and led the KTO Project, a world music ensemble featuring Abraham Gumroyan on bass, Bob Crawford on keys, Silvestre Martinez on percussion, the ubiquitous Deszon Claibourne on drums, José Roberto on guitar & vocals, Fernanda Bustamante on vocals & violin, Michelle Jacques on vocals and percussion, Chris Brown on trumpet, Sheldon Brown on sax, and Kelly herself on vocals and percussion. Their music is personal and political, soulful and spiritual – and it makes you want to dance!
Musekiwa Chingodza was born in Mwangara village, Murewa, Zimbabwe, in 1970. At age five he started playing mbira, a kind of thumb piano, and marimba, as well as various drums, and developed into a masterful singer, dancer, and performer. He currently teaches mbira at the Prince Edward School in Harare and performs internationally. “Our music is both medicine and food,” he says, “as mbira has the power to heal and to provide.”