The marimbas are hand-crafted. The keys are made of padouk, mahogany and wenge, all very hard woods which produce beautiful tones.

Below each key is a resonating tube which amplifies the music. In Zimbabwe these resonators are often gourds. Ours are makde of PVC pipe and cardboard. Each resonator has a buzzer, a vibrating membrane, attached to it. The buzz is thought by some to keep the evil spirits away and adds a unique quality to the music.

Marimbas come in various sizes and pitches: including bass, baritone, tenor, alto and soprano.

The hosho are traditional Zimbabwean rattles consisting of a pair of gourds with hota (African Lily) seeds. These instruments help to keep the beat. Each individual plays the hosho differently, sometimes adding a flamboyance to the show.

The hosho are traditional Zimbabwean rattles consisting of a pair of gourds with hota (African Lily) seeds. These instruments help to keep the beat. Each individual plays the hosho differently, sometimes adding a flambouyance to the show.

The mbira is an ancient instrument with a long history of use in traditional ceremonies. Staggered metal keys are attached to a metal soundboard. Often an mbira is played inside a deze, a big gourd which provides amplification. Bottle caps are often attached to the instrument, creating a buzzing sound. There are a number of mbira types. The one that we most commonly play is the mbira dzavadzimu which has 29 keys - arranged in two rows for the left hand and one row for the right hand. A second type of mbira that we play is the nyunga nyunga - which consists of 15 metal keys arranged in two rows. Much of the marimba music that we play has come directly from the mbira.