Reece’s rippling
reeds roll on
See Page 2B
Friday. June 6. 1986
Arts and Entertainment Oregon Daily Emerald
I
"This is not a concert, this is a dance.” — Uurni
Maraire
l,ayer upon layer of hypnotic rhythm engulfs the
listener, swaying the body and the spirit to an ancient
African beat. The room explodes with a joyous vibe as
the resonance of large wooden marimbas sends the au
dience into a dancing frenzy. The happy faces and
energetic movements of the musicians mirror those of
the dancers, completing the circle that is African
music.
This is Shumba, Eugene's own African marimba
band. Although they are all white Americans, the
members of Shumba are dedicated practitioners of the
music of Zimbabwe. From humble beginnings as "The
No Name Marimba Ensemble” four years ago. they
have evolved into one of Eugene's most popular music
groups.
The music Shumba plays was brought to the Nor
thwest from Zimbabwe by a man named Du mi Maraire
in the 1960's. Maraire, a musician/teacher with a
master's degree, was given a grant to teach at the
University of Washington, a school with a strong in
terest in ethnomusicology.
As a member of Zimbabwe's Shona tribe, Maraire
was well-versed in his country's musical traditions,
which go back over a thousand years. Maraire came up
with a new idea, however. He decided to play Shona
melodies on the marimba, which was the national in
strument of Mozambique.
In Zimbabwe, music had always been played on
the mbira. a small, thumb piano-like instrument.
Maraire refined this innovation until he developed the
“Dumi marimba formation," a seven-marimba forma
tion consisting of three sopranos, two tenors, a baritone
and a bass.
Maraire's influence on Shumba, and indeed on all
the Northwest's African marimba bands, has been
profound.
Shumba’s genesis occurred in May of 1982 when
Maraire taught a marimba workshop at the WOW Hall.
A small group of Eugene Dumi-enthusiasts took advan
tage of the opportunity to study with the master. Some
of the people at the workshop decided to get together
and practice regularly, and they became the nucleus of
the early Shumba.
At first, the group had only one large marimba to
practice on, which was often played by all eight
members of the group simultaneously. "We were play
ing upside-down, backwards and sideways, so
everybody would be black and blue with bruises from
getting hit by other people's sticks," recalls Shumba
member Gary Goldwater.
So even though they were learning group marimba
pieces, the early Shumba never got to experience the
pleasure of playing on a full set of marimbas. Then, in
id
Clockwise from loft to right the members of Eugene's own marimba band Shumba am: Michael MacDonald.
Gil Harrison, lames Webb. Gary Goldwater. Mellisa (her. Scott Nelson. Janet Hushnell and Maggie
Donahue.
July of 1982, Maraire played the WOW Hall with his
performance group, The Maraire Marimba Knsemblo.
When the group took their break, the sight of all those
unmanned marimbas on stage was mom thun Shumba
could stand. Unannounced and without permission.
.Shumba took the stage and began to play.
“It was a case where passion took precedence over
common sense." says Shumba member Michael Mac
Donald. a University graduate student in English
Ignoring the looks of concern on the faces of some of
Maraire's band members, Shumt>a felt the power of
playing on a full set of marimbas for the first time, and
played a great mini-set.
"Dumi was so happy he came out and started play
ing with us." Goldwater recalls. "When we were done
he said ‘Eugene, this is your own marimtia band.'
"This music is just coming through us
really — I see it coming out of the
earth in Africa. A lot of people come
up to me and say T love your music.' I
honestly can't take credit for it. It's
coming from another culture. We are
just vehicles for it."
- Janet Bushnell
With this blessing from the master. Shumba began
to practice more frequently and started shopping for
marimbas. They played their first gig at the 1982
Christmas Faire as the "No Name Marimba Ensemble”.
With the realization that they had actually become a
gig-playing group, the search for a more appropriate
name began. Some members of the band fancied the
word “Shumba," a Shonu word meaning "lion's
spirit.” Another name considered was "The Honorary
Africans.” Also, “The Token Ofays” and “The Buzz
tones” were considered. Fortunately,“Shumba” was
chosen.
At first, gigs were slow in coming. But over the
next two years, Shumba continued to refine their play
ing and began to develop a following. A performance in
front of the Hult Center during last year's Eugene
Celebration exposed large numbers of new people to
Shumba's music. A subsequent performance at the
WOW Hall established them as one of Eugene's top
drawing local bands.
While many other local groups get gigs on a once
in-a-while basis. Shumha turns down ninety percent of
the offers they receive. All the members of Shumha are
students or have day jobs, so the band can only handle a
limited amount of work.
Another limitation on the group's personal ap
pearances is its collective disdain for playing in bars.
They cite various reasons for this, including audience
attitude. "I feel that often people go to bars and expect
to be able to talk as loud as they want and have the
music as background," MacDonald says. "We have a
lot of respect for this music and I think we expect it
from our audience as well."
Listening to Shumba's music is not meant to l>e a
passive experience. The dichotomy of audience and
performer doesn't exist in African music. The musical
performance is meant to be a croative exchange bet
ween the musicians and the dancers, and members of
Shumba fully believe in this tradition.
"Our playing is directly related to the feeling that
comes from the crowd" says Shumha member fan
Hushnell. "Dumi used to say ‘Let the spirit be upon the
people and we can all move together.' He would always
stress that we were all here creating this joyous moment
together, and his attitude has had a real strong effect on
us."
We're lucky to have Shumba. Unlike reggae and
other musical genres that are well-represented
throughout the country, African marimba music is vir
tually unknown in most of the United States, especially
at the performance level. It is only hem in the
Norhtwest that it is played — the direct result of Dumi
Maraire's influence.
Kutamba. the great Seattle marimba band, were
students of Maraire's who formed their own group after
he went back to Zimbabwe four years ago Halafon, a
marimba group from Corvallis, was also influenced by
students of Maraire. Members of Shumba say that even
in Northern California, there is little recognition of
African marimba music.
The music Shumba plays is as inspiring to them as
it is to their audience, and they play it with a sense of
respect and humility "This music is just coming
through us really — I see it coming out of the earth In
Africa.” Bushnell says. "A lot of people come up to me
and say 'I love your music.’ I honestly can't take credit
for it. It's coming from another culture. We are just
vehicles for it "
Coldwater agrees. "We were really touched by the
spirit of the music that Dumi was playing, and we re
trying to pass it on as best we can. to try and bring a lit
tle extra joy into the world." he says. "1 think what we
do best is bring people together in joy."
Story by IstId Harrington
Photo by Michael Wilhelm