OCT
18
2024
Double Bill
Alexis Normand and The Mbira Renaissance Band
For over a decade, Alexis Normand has forged herself a path of authenticity with her down-to-earth sound and demeanour. With Mementos, her new and most personal album to date, the singer-songwriter sheds an honest and vulnerable light on herself. Drawing inspiration from the infinite horizons of her Saskatchewan home, she explores the dualities of a francophone identity on anglophone soil with a velvety voice and a candid approach to the contemporary folk sounds which suit her so perfectly. The result is a collection of delicate songs, each exploring an important moment of her life; overcoming a challenge, a defining moment in time, a deep understanding of the inherent contradiction that is her life.
Playing music out of Zimbabwe, by way of Edmonton, Alberta, The Mbira Renaissance Band delivers an afro-fusion sound like no other. The group fuses the mbira, hosho (traditional shakers) and other traditional instruments with contemporary sounds to produce a rich blend of vibrant polyrhythmic sounds. The result is an upbeat blend of the contemporary mbira sound with hints of reggae, afro jazz, and afro pop – inspired by the sounds of artists such as Oliver Mtukudzi, Thomas Mapfumo and Chiwoniso Maraire.
Twice nominated for the Edmonton Music Awards in the World Music Category, The Mbira Renaissance Band has been a feature in Western Canada for the better part of the decade. The group has played at events such as the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, the Calgary Stampede,Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Fest, The Canmore Folk Music Festival, Dead Ends Live, the Kaleido Fest and the Summer Kicks series by Kicking Horse Culture – bringing audiences large and small to their feet with its upbeat performance.
In 2018, the group released its second EP, Famba, which is available on all streaming platforms. Band members include Chaka Zinyemba (mbira,vocals); James Stuart (bass); Chi Zinyemba (vocals; hosho); Geo Koufogiannakis (Guitar); Munya Vialy (Keyboard); Tony Flanagan (Drums).