France has been captivated by the versatile artist Hope Masike, who began a special tour in the European country last week.

This tour stands out with its unique ensemble, The Hope Masike Trio, featuring long-time band members and saxophonists Mpho Muteta and Ndomupeishe Chipendo.

On Friday, July 5, the trio made its debut at the Festival des Hauts de Garonne in Bordeaux, delivering an enthralling performance.

Both Muteta and Chipendo, skilled in playing the mbira and accomplished as percussionists and backing vocalists, complement Masike’s artistic vision.

Muteta plays the soprano saxophone, while Chipendo handles the alto sax.

“The repertoire of this set is very mbira-centric. I created this trio to celebrate the ancient mbira music of the Zimbabwean people. During the tour, our main focus is on playing songs from the ancient times of Zimbabwe and revisiting some of my earlier compositions. We want to take our audiences on an enriching spiritual and artistic journey of Zimbabwe,” Masike said

Speaking from France, Masike shared that the experience has been “really great” so far, describing the set as elegant, musically mature, and rich.

The Hope Masike Trio is currently performing several concerts in the south of France, with two shows left before concluding on July 13.

The tour has provided French audiences with entertaining insights into a revered cultural instrument and its significance, thanks to Masike’s renowned fusion experiments with the mbira.

The Hope Masike Trio will be introduced to Harare audiences in a first-of-its-kind concert on Thursday, August 8, at the Alliance Française de Harare.

Hope Masike, a Zimbabwean singer, songwriter, and poet, plays the mbira, one of Zimbabwe’s unique traditional instruments. With four studio albums and four poetry books to her name, her current album, Anotida, was released this March and is available on all major platforms.

By: Shorai Murwira