Zimbabwe Meets America: Bezil Makombe and Banning Eyre at CNTR

Guitarist Banning Eyre has been steeped in the music of Africa for 40 years. Among his deepest dives was in Zimbabwe where he worked with Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited.

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That’s where he first met master mbira musician Bezil Makombe. The mbira is an ancient thumb piano, but it has found its place in contemporary pop music, in part thanks to innovators like Bezil.

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Banning and Bezil have collaborated on original music going back to the late ‘90s, when Banning lived in Zimbabwe.

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This month, Bezil makes a rare visit to the United States, including a stop in Middletown at CNTR to perform with Banning at the Free Center on Thursday, July 31, at 8PM.

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The concert is co-sponsored by Afropop Worldwide and CNTR in Middletown.

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