The Gramophone

Bongo Love w/ Mario Pascal of the Roots Fuzion Band

Bongo Love was formed in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe by John Mambira, who still heads up the band and Nhlanhla Ngwenya who has now moved to the UK to work on a drumming project. With John playing drums and providing lead vocals, Themba Mawoko was recruited for the lead marimba, Trymore Jombo for mbira and Mpho Mambira for the baritone marimba. “Afro-coustics”, as they call their genre, is a unique combination of styles delivered on these traditional instruments with lyrics in English, Shona and Ndebele.

Since moving to Harare from Bulawayo in 2005, the fabulous quad has gone from playing mostly private functions to performing in some very popular clubs in Zimbabwe’s capital, putting on a stellar show every time and winning over countless audiences.Climbing fast in popularity, they were invited to teach and perform in Mozambique, Sweden and the Dominican Republic, leading to their first major tour of the United States in 2007. During the tour they taught and performed in Seattle, Santa Fe, Boulder, Boston and New York, joining indy band ‘Dispatch’ for three sold out shows at Madison Square Garden to top it all off.

2008 saw the foursome return to the United States and stay for the their longest tour yet. After spending the summer playing festivals and private gigs, Bongo Love joined up with Boston based State Radio for a fall tour across 15 states East of the Mississippi River playing in venues from the Chicago House of Blues to the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia. In early November Bongo Love joined forces with the Elias Fund, a non-profit organization working on education and community development in Zimbabwe, in an awareness tour that left from Boston, MA and traveled across the country ending in Santa Cruz, CA.

Doors at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m. $5/21+. Mario Pascal of the Roots Fuzion Band will open.

www.myspace.com/bongolovemusic
www.myspace.com/mariopascal

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