congaplace.com

Posted: **Tue Nov 22, 2005 7:57 pm**

BATA MBIRA Press Release

Bembé Records is pleased to announce the international release of BATA MBIRA by Michael Spiro and Michael Williams.

BATA MBIRA seamlessly fuses sacred music from Cuba and Zimbabwe, creating a compelling whole that is far greater than the sum of its parts. The batá drums, played by Michael Spiro, are a family of three double-headed hourglass-shaped drums brought to Cuba by the Yoruba people of Nigeria in the 19th century and used to accompany ceremonies to call the ancestral deities down to earth. The mbira (or thumb piano), played by Michael Williams, is an instrument of the Shona people of Zimbabwe, consisting of 22-28 metal keys affixed to a wooden soundboard and used as a sacred medium for communicating with ancestral spirits. With a very rootsy, yet contemporary sound, Bata Mbira draws you into a magical world of drums, mbira, voices, flutes and other exotic acoustic sounds. BATA MBIRA is an original fusion of traditional songs to the spirits that guide the people of Zimbabwe and Cuba.

Radio programmers and reviewers please contact David Peñalosa of Bembé Records directly at davidpenalosa@hotmail.com

Posted: **Tue Nov 22, 2005 11:17 pm**

Great news David! :cool:

Though I fear it will be some time before we see it round these parts due to distribution etc..

I think we all remember the discussion on this topic originally by Tamboricua... if not, see here: CLICK HERE

Posted: **Wed Nov 23, 2005 12:11 am**

Alafia Abakua!
Yo bro! I just read the posts you provided the link to, and I have got to say, You crack me up with all of the "special effects you use" I'm still laughing.

You can dress a monkey up in a suit, but after everything is said and done.....................it's still a monkey!
No monkeys were harmed in the use of this saying!
Suave!
Onile!

Edited By onile on 1132705604

Posted: **Wed Nov 23, 2005 9:30 pm**

"Great news David!
Though I fear it will be some time before we see it round these parts due to distribution etc..
I think we all remember the discussion on this topic originally by Tamboricua."

Thanks Abakua,
Distribution is an increasingly difficult area of the biz since it's mainly controlled by five multi-nationals. We are found in the big US chains like Virgin and Tower, but the best place to find our CDs out of the US in on-line with Amazon.com, descraga.com or bembe.com.
I orginally found this e-group when I did a search on "bata mbira". At the time I was not officially connected with the CD. I just posted Mike Spiro's press release for him as a favor, since I'm on-line a lot and he is not. However, Since that time, Bembe has licensed Bata Mbira. I am now officially promoting this CD.

-David