Santa Monica College will host Masanga Marimba in a free outdoor concert titled "A Musical Journey from Africa to Latin America" on Tuesday, April 21, at 11:15 a.m. in the SMC Quad, located on the main campus at 1900 Pico Blvd.
The ensemble, led by CSU Northridge ethnomusicologist and SMC Music instructor Dr. Ric Alviso, will trace the history of the marimba from its role in Zimbabwean music education in the 1960s to its place as a cornerstone of Latin American dance music and the national instrument of Guatemala.
Masanga Marimba is the only marimba ensemble in Southern California to combine Latin and African musical traditions using traditional instruments including the marimba, mbira and marimbol. The ensemble performs with seven giant marimbas, drums, percussion, trombone, trumpet and additional instruments, drawing from musical traditions of Zimbabwe, South Africa, Cameroon, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico.
The group has performed at the Hollywood Bowl, Grand Performances, Getty Center, Skirball Cultural Center and Ford Amphitheatre, and has opened for artists including Neil Young, Stephen Stills, John Mayer, Nora Jones, Father John Misty, Los Lobos, Ziggy Marley, Pink Martini and others.
The event is sponsored by the SMC Associates. It may be rescheduled or cancelled without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff