Madzitate Guru by Garikayi Tirikoti

Garikayi Tirikoti was born into a Shona traditional healers family in the Chihota rural area, Zimbabwe. He started playing Mbira ‘Dzavadimu’ from a young age, participating in the all-night ‘Bira’ ceremonies with the elders. At the age of 6 he already became something of a local attraction and by the age of 16 Garikayi was already considered an Mbira master.
Soon after moving to Harare at age 17 he began to have vivid dreams, in which he heard new Mbira tunings that were not previously played. He began making new Mbiras in those tunings, and developed his own 7-piece Mbira ensemble, combining instruments in various tunings. Initially, Mbira conservatives resisted his innovations, but eventually his music was accepted, and Garikayi became one of the leading urban innovators in Zimbabwean music, influencing such well-known bands as ‘Mbira Dzenharira’. He now lives in Chitungwiza, a satellite city of Harare and is currently developing his new 28-piece Mbira orchestra.