Hotwire Coffee July Music NZIRA

NZIRA" means "path" in Shona, the traditional language of Zimbabwe. It is also the name adopted by the nine members of the NZIRA Marimba Ensemble, an enthusiastic group of adults (and one red-headed musical wonderchild named Gracie). The music is from Zimbabwea, originally brought to the US and arranged for marimba by Dumisani Maraire, an ethnomusicologist who came to the UW in the 1960's and taught the music, and the instrument making. The instruments remind people of large xylophones, made of wood. They are all in the key of "C" and are played by striking the wooden "keys" with mallets. The music is not written so the players must memorize the parts and arrangement for each song.. Most of the players are members of the Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation at 7141 California Ave SW. The band will be playing next to Hotwire during Artwalk from 6:00pm-7:30pm on Thursday, July 14th . If you like what you hear, (how could you not?) and would like the band to play at one of your upcoming events, contact the band leader, John Britt, at brittshops@comcast.net.to make arrangements.