Monoswezi is a trans-national music collective composed of

Hope Masike Ruvimbo Hope Masike, professionally known as Hope Masike (born September 9, 1984) is a Zimbabwean musician and dancer. She is known as "The Princess of Mbira" and her music has its roots both in traditional and modern African culture. Hope is a ...

(voice, mbira, percussion), Calu Tsemane (voice, percussion), Hallvard Godal (saxophone, clarinet, harmonium), Putte Johander (bass), and

Erik Nylander Johan Erik Nylander (born 3 April 1981 in Norberg, Sweden) is a Swedish jazz musician (drums), improviser and composer, working in Norway since 2002. He plays in several bands, among them Ola Kvernberg Trio, "Kobert", Kirsti Huke Quartet, Tor ...

(drums, percussion). The band's name is a

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of wordsMozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

and

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

. Monoswezi is also a combination of the Greek word “mono”, meaning “one”, and “swezi”, which means “world” in a native South African dialect. Their music has been classified as a fusion between Scandinavian and

African music Given the vastness of the African continent, its music is diverse, with regions and nations having many distinct musical traditions. African music includes the genres amapiano, Jùjú, Fuji, Afrobeat, Highlife, Makossa, Kizomba, and others. The ...

, under the expansive “

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

” umbrella. The band was born out of a cultural exchange program between Africa and Norway back in 2008, when Godal lived in Mozambique and met Tsemane. Soon after, Tsemane and Masike connected with Godal back in Norway and began making music together. Since then the band has produced 3 albums under Riverboat Records and tours internationally. Their first album, ''The Village'', was nominated for the

Songlines Music Awards ''Songlines'' is a British magazine launched in 1999 that covers music from traditional and popular to contemporary and fusion, featuring artists from around the globe. ''Songlines'' is published 10 times a year and contains CD reviews, artist in ...

in 2014.

Discography

Albums

* 2021 ''Shanu'' * 2017 ''A Je'' * 2015 ''Monoswezi Yenga'' * 2013 ''The Village''

Notes

References

External links

Monoswezi Official Website
{{Authority control Jazz ensembles