Kalimba & Kalumbu Songs

They Say...

Review by John Vallier, All Music Guide

On Zambia: Kalimba and Kalimbu Songs, Northern Rhodesia (1952 & 1957), 25 superb performances have been presented for your listening pleasure and intellectual stimulation. Hugh Tracey, who as an ethnomusicologist was more concerned with the quality of his field recording than the authenticity of the performance they captured, recorded these songs back in 1952 and 1957 while touring landlocked Zambia. As one can easily decipher from the CD's title, the particular emphasis of this disc revolves around two instruments: the kalimba and the kalumbu. Though their names sound similar, the sounds produced by the kalimba and the kalumbu are indeed different. The kalimba, which is technically referred to as a lamellophone and colloquially labeled as the thumb piano, appears across Africa under a bevy of regional names (e.g., mbira, likembe, nsansi, ndimba, kankowele, chisanzhi, and sanza). It basically consists of narrow strips of iron laid across the opening of a small resonating chamber. These iron strips are played with one's thumbs and fingers. Alternatively, the kalumbu, or kalumbo, is a single metal-stringed bow that is played with a stick. A calabash gourd that is lashed on the convex side of the bow acts as a resonating chamber. The kalumbu player manipulates the resonance of the instrument by moving the gourd to and from his or her chest. Though now quite rare in Africa, the kalumbu is considered to be the predecessor of the Afro-Brazilian berimibau, which can be heard in capoiera performances. As with all of Hugh Tracey's recordings, the ones found on this CD reflect the roving audiophile's obsession with robust sonic quality. And, as all of the performances on this CD reflect rich musical traditions at work, this release should be snatched up by anyone looking for excellent music.