Music that touches the soul!
The passion of the musicians and the spirit of the music is truly electrifying.
Just try sitting still while they are playing! 
Lori M.

HOME

Our band joins together to play both traditional and contemporary African songs on marimba, mbira, drums and voices.  Teenagers and adults join together to play this joyful music.  KUUNGANA itself is a Swahili word that means to connect or join.

This lively, danceable music will get your feet tapping and your hips swaying in time to the complex, enticing rhythms.  Listeners often call this “happy music” and people of all ages respond to it with enthusiasm and delight.

We in the band play this amazing music for the joy it brings to us and to the audience.  The lead marimba carries the musical storyline, the other marimbas carry the melodic patterns that weave through the song, and the traditional “hosho”, or gourd rattles, hold the driving beat.  It all comes together in a tapestry of music guaranteed to get you out of your seat and onto the dance floor.

Deb, Maya, Rachel, Aja, John, Jesse, Shea and Tedd (c.2015)
(Currently Deb, John, Rachael, Ray, Tami, Jodi, and Hans)

Come Hear Us Play!

Event Information:

  • Sat
    25
    Aug
    2018

    Lummi Island Fundraiser

    Private Event

Our band started with three veterans of the now retired Juba Marimba – Bellingham’s premier marimba band (Deb, John and Tedd) and three veterans of Bellingham’s youth marimba band, The Big Bad Monkeys (Adrienne, Maya and Mo). The original youth and Tedd have all gone off to new adventures and we are now delighted to be joined by Rachel, a graduate of another Bellingham youth marimba band, Joe, from Seattle’s marimba band Nyamuziwa, Logan an mbira player from southern California, and our newest member Rachael from Eugene, Oregon who played marimba at a Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center band. Other past members of Kuungana are Aja, Sam, Shea and Jesse.

 We happily share our music through performances, parties, gatherings, fairs, benefits and school workshops.  ENJOY!

For booking or other questions, contact us or call Deb 360.739.6801 or John Hatten at 360.671.7012.

The Original Group!

Maya, John, Adrienne, Tedd, Mo and Deb