Polyphony Marimba

Polyphony Marimba was founded in 2010 with the mission to get an acoustic ensemble of nine players together who wanted to make a life out of the roots music of southern Africa, while contributing their own creative expression to that tradition. Founder Peter Swing has taught the marimba music of Zimbabwe for 25 years and led four previous part-time ensembles. Polyphony would take this on the road,

into the recording studio, and into the lives of as many people as possible. Swing learned that the music grows in power and artistry, the more the players put their lives into it, and the larger the audience is that appreciates it. Expanding the cathartic and joyful energy inherent in this music is what Polyphony Marimba is about. Polyphony (pronounced "po-LI-fa-nee") has played over 300 concerts around North America and has sold over 5,000 copies of its three albums. Over the last five years, completely self-operated, Polyphony has established a steady circuit of gigs, particularly in the eastern United States. Play this music near any populated area, as they have done in Washington DC, New York City, Chicago, Boston and Asheville, North Carolina, and a crowd instantly gathers, gratefully applauding and buying CDs. The music is beautiful and positively joyful, and attracts listeners like a magnet. Polyphony was not born fully grown. Just like humans who mature slow and sure, it has a 25 year gestation period, emerging from the marimba scene in the Pacific Northwest. And that scene has its origins in Zimbabwe during the 1960’s. At that time many African countries were emerging from the yoke of European colonialism. It wasn’t until 1980 that Zimbabwe finally achieved its independence from Britain. But in the meantime it was grappling with the problem of nation building: how do you create a united country that has three quite distinct peoples, Shona, Ndebele and English? One way was through culture, and at the Kwanongoma College of Music in Bulawayo the idea was to invent an ensemble that could convey the music of all these vastly different people, with no tribal claim by any of them. Thus the marimba ensemble, as carried on by Polyphony Marimba, was invented. Zimbabwe’s neighbor Mozambique has a very old tradition of large xylophone groups, and the balafon of west Africa has been played since ancestral times. Borrowing also from the orchestral structure of western music, and the choral forms of South Africa, the Zimbabwean-style marimba ensemble was born: three soprano marimbas, two tenors, a baritone and bass marimba, all held together with gourd shakers (hosho) keeping the beat. How did it get to the United States? In 1968 a brilliant student of Kwanongoma, Dumisani Maraire, was invited to teach as a guest lecturer in the Ethnomusicology Department of the University of Washington in Seattle. A two year contract extended into a residency for the next twenty five years, for the students and people of the Northwest fell in love with Dumi (as he is known) and the music he embodied from Zimbabwe. One of the bands he fostered is Boka Marimba of Portland, Oregon, and it is in Boka that Swing learned the marimba ensemble music from Zimbabwe, beginning in 1987. At that time there were only a few marimba bands scattered up and down the west coast, with most of them centered in Seattle. But the music is so infectious and fun to play— as well as containing an unmistakable spiritual dimension and great artistic complexity— that there are now marimba bands sprouting up like mushrooms from Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine and from Boulder, Colorado down to Austin, Texas.

Tichazomuona - Polyphony Marimba in Boulder, CO 9/5/2023 Final Tour

12/07/2023

Dear Friends,

I hope this finds you well and you are staying warm and enjoying the holiday season. We wanted to let you know that we are retiring from touring nationally. We will miss seeing you in person and sharing the music live but I hope you have some of our recordings or access to digital streams so you may still enjoy the music.

Since 2012 we have really pushed ourselves out there with a big band, overcoming so many logistical and financial challenges to do eight tours throughout the United States. It has been so rewarding pulling a great group of people together and bringing the music to a high and satisfying level with so much playing. We feel the energy and fierce desire to manifest the music in this way is just not there anymore, not at the level it needs to be to put together a national tour.

We do plan to do some shows around our local region here in New Mexico, after a year or two hiatus. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sharing in this beautiful musical experience together! Please enjoy this clip of us in Boulder, Colorado which turned out to be one of our last shows-- video by Blessing Chimanga-- Tichazomuona, we shall meet again.

Yours in the music,

Peter Swing

Tichazomuona - Polyphony Marimba in Boulder, CO 9/5/2023 Final Tour Videography - DreamsTv Band Members:-Peter Swing-Karyna Swing-Jesse Larson-Raven Swing-Adam Halpin-David Onstott-Conrad Rice-Branson Seamons-Te...

09/17/2023

Hey! I made such a happy discovery today! A superb marimba recording by the late great Dumi Maraire and his band Minanzi III is digitized on Apple Music. Oh man I have this on cassette tape, which I wore out like 20 years ago, so I was so happy to listen again while driving today! Two other recordings are as good or better, that would be Dumi's first and second marimba records-- I wonder if they will also be committed to this medium for all to easily enjoy and learn from? It is such a catch-22 because the earnings suck for the artist and their legacy, but spreading these seminal records and making them available to the world is a tremendous gift. Well done Maraire Enterprises LLC!! And thank you!!

Mweya by Dumi & Minanzi III Album · 1990 · 8 Songs

09/05/2023

Tonight’s the night, Boulder! Join us tonight, September 5th from 5-7pm at Ta**ra Park! Pack a picnic, meet your neighbors, play in the park and groove to the music all night long! It’s sure to be a fun time and it’s one of the last gigs of our Summer Tour, so let’s have a great time!
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09/02/2023

Well folks, we’re on the FINAL week of our 2023 Summer Tour…can you believe it? We’ve had a blast and hope you have too
NEXT UP is DENVER, COLORADO! Join us on Monday, September 4th at the First Universalist Church of Denver from 3-5pm! We have four gigs left and lots of uplifting Zimbabwean and original marimba music to share, so mark your calendars, tell your friends and family and join us while we’re on the home stretch!
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08/31/2023

TONIGHT! Thursday, August 31st from 6-9pm we will be in St. Louis, Missouri performing at Greg Freeman Park! Pack a picnic and bring a friend because we’ll be jamming all night long. Our tour is on the homestretch now and we’re making our way back to the southwest, so catch us while you can and share our music with us!
PS…don’t forget that TOMORROW, Friday, September 1st, we will be in Leasburg, Missouri from 7-9pm at the Tiny House Adventure Resort Pavillion. See ya soon!
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#2023 #

08/29/2023

We have a gazillion shakey videos with so-so sound. Rare to see this quality! Thanks WDVX in Knoxville👏👏👏
https://www.facebook.com/reel/544855794437389?fs=e&s=TIeQ9V&mibextid=EeqNb9

08/29/2023

We are in Chicago (Evanston) tonight and tomorrow night, 8/29 - 30. Adjusting our time a bit according to weather and sundown, the concerts both nights will be 5:30 to 8pm. See you there!

08/27/2023

We’re heading to EVANSTON, ILLINOIS next! Join us on TUESDAY, August 29th and WEDNESDAY, August 30th at Dawes Park from 7-9pm! We’ll be bringing our uplifting Zimbabwean and original marimba music and we hope you’re ready to dance. Then, on Thursday, August 31st we’ll be in St. Louis, Missouri and on Friday, September 1st we’ll be in Leasburg, Missouri. Our tour is winding down and we don’t have many cities left, so catch us while you can, tell your friends and enjoy our music with us!
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08/20/2023

CLEVELAND! You’re up next! We’re making our way to Ohio and we’ll be playin at the East 9th Street Pier on TUESDAY, August 22nd from 5-7pm! Then, we’ll be in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday, Aug. 23rd, Indianapolis, Indiana on Thursday, Aug. 24th, Goshen, Indiana on Friday, Aug. 25th, South Bend, Indiana on Saturday, Aug. 26th and at the end of the week we’ll be in Niles, Michigan on Sunday, Aug. 27th! Whew! We’re spreading our uplifting Zimbabwean and original marimba music with the country and we hope you’ll be able to join us, so mark your calendars and tell your friends!
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08/18/2023

We had an amazing time with Andrus on Hudson!

08/17/2023

Free Concert: Thurs, Aug 31 Free BBQ Concert Sponsored by the Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council and the Regional Arts Commission Our Delicious BBQ Grilled On-Site, refreshing beverages, and exciting music is back! Where:…

08/13/2023

New York City you’re up next! We’re heading to the Big Apple and we hope you’ll join us this TUESDAY, August 15th in Washington Square Park from 5:30-8:00pm! Then, we’ll be playing at Hastings-On-Hudson and Nadege at St. Nicholas Miracle Garden on Wednesday, August 16, La Plaza Cultural on Thursday, August 17, Washington Square Park on Friday, August 18th, and then we’re heading to Woodstock, New York for the weekend to play at Village Green! Whew! Start clearing your schedules and dust off your dancing shoes because you’re going to need them!
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08/10/2023

Hey folks! We are adjusting our concert time a bit due to weather-- we'll play 7 till 8:30 tonight at El Golfo in Silver Spring, MD. Come on out!😎❤️🎵🎵🎵🎵

08/07/2023

Silver Spring, Maryland, we’re heading your way NEXT and we’ll be playing at the Veterans Plaza on Wednesday, August 9th from 6-8pm!
Our 2023 Summer Tour is in full swing and we’re having a blast sharing our music with you. We hope you’ve been able to join us and if not, take a look at the dates to see where you can catch us next! After Silver Spring we’ll be making our way to Takoma Park, Maryland, Dickerson, Maryland and Radnor, Pennsylvania! Save the dates and dust off your dancing shoes because we’ll be sharing our uplifting Zimbabwean and original marimba music with you soon
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07/28/2023

OKLAHOMA CITY we’ll be grooving with you this SUNDAY, July 30th from 7-9pm! Stay tuned for the address as we’ll be releasing that soon👀
Then, we’ll be jamming in Houston, Texas on Monday, July 31st, then New Orleans, Louisiana on Tuesday, August 1st! We’d love for you and your friends to join us, so spread the word. And don’t forget your dancing shoes!
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07/26/2023

We’re BACK at it! Our 2023 East Coast Summer Tour is kicking off THIS FRIDAY and we’re so excited to get the party started in ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO! Join us and over 20 local vendors on Friday, July 28th from 4-7pm at and don’t forget your dancing shoes!
We’ll be starting our tour in New Mexico and then ending it there as well, so take a look at our New Mexico and Colorado dates and start marking your calendars. We hope you’ll join us!🎶
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The ABQ Collective address: 1321 Eubank Blvd. NE 87112
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06/08/2023

I love this song EMBER, especially the slow part. If you have apple music (or spotify or youtube etc) and have a moment and some speakers or headphones, check this out. Written by Dylan Moon and also Raven Swing and Harlin Pierce, and Anton Pierce contributed a lead melody too. A sweet and youthful time in the band back in 2014. ~ 🙏❤️ ~ Peter

This Day by Polyphony Marimba Album · 2014 · 10 Songs

06/04/2023

Hello dear friends! Polyphony Marimba here asking for your help. We are going BACK on tour late July through early September and we’re hoping you can help with our journey! We are doing a fundraiser on our website to help cover our bills on the road. Please click the LINK IN COMMENTS if you feel moved to support fantastic live music spreading around this country! Thank you, tatenda!
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05/27/2023

Thanks for listening!

Help me to provide music for seniors, organized by Kwame Whittaker

05/18/2023

We are planning a special concert for our elders when we are in New York City in August. Please contribute as able, thanks!

Help me to provide music for seniors, organized by Kwame Whittaker I am trying to provide a musical performance for a group of seniors who live in … Kwame Whittaker needs your support for Help me to provide music for seniors

05/13/2023

Ashland, Oregon! Join us this Sunday, MOTHER’S DAY, for our LAST gig of our 2023 Spring Benediction Tour. We’ll be at the Downtown Ashland Plaza from 1-3pm for a free afternoon concert! We’ve had such an amazing time sharing our music with you and we want to end this leg on a high note! So come on out and spend a nice afternoon listening to Zimbabwe and original Marimba music with the Moms and loved ones in your life. We hope to see you tomorrow!
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Address: 26 North Main Street, Ashland, Oregon 97520
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05/12/2023

EUGENE! Come dance with us and Kwaziwai from Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center at Kesey Square TOMORROW, Saturday, May 13th from 5-8pm! Enjoy our high-energy Zimbabwe and original Marimba music all night long and enjoy the second to last gig of our Spring 2023 Benediction tour! Don’t worry though, we’ll be back in August for the summer stretch of the tour. We hope you’ll join us tomorrow!
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Address: 10 East Broadway, Eugene, Oregon 97401
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05/11/2023

Vancouver, Washington! We’re in your neck of the woods TOMORROW! Join us for a free evening concert at the Waterfront on Friday, May 12th, from 6-9pm and enjoy your evening while we share our high-energy Zimbabwe and original Marimba music. It’s sure to be a good time with lots of dancing and we hope you’ll join us!
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Address: 695 Waterfront Way, Vancouver, Washington 98660
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05/10/2023

Tonight’s the night, friends! Join us in the TACOMA, WASHINGTON area to share the stage with Jeff Brahe and his band. We promise for a very rich night of music indeed! One in a hundred students who get into Zimbabwean music take it to another level when the classes have ended, and Jeff is certainly one who has done so. Come on out and enjoy the happy surprises of intricate music making from two great bands that want to make you dance and bring joy to your heart. We hope to see you there!
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Address: 6711 Cascade Ave, Gig Harbor, Washington
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05/08/2023

Hello, Spokane, Washington! We’re excited to share our music with you TOMORROW! Join us and the Covenant Marimba Band at the .umc for a FREE evening concert on Tuesday, May 9th from 5:00-8:00pm. And be prepared to get out of your seats because once your hear our high-energy Zimbabwe and original Marimba music, you won’t be able to stop dancing. We hope you’ll join us!
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Address: 15515 Gleneden, Spokane, Washington 99208
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05/07/2023

You may have noticed we are a seasonal band and we are most definitely in season. Exciting and noteworthy events are happening almost daily and after a little break will continue into early September. Thanks for following us! Sharing this music with you is what we are all about.

Wednesday evening we'll be in the Tacoma, Washington area to share the stage with Jeff Brahe and his band and it promises to be a very rich night of music indeed! One in a hundred students who get into Zimbabwean music take it to another level when the classes have ended, and Jeff is certainly one who has done so. Come on out and enjoy the happy surprises of intricate music making from two great bands that want to make you dance and bring joy to your heart.

05/06/2023

Location change announcement:

Due to the weather, our Sunday, May 7th gig has been moved to Christ the King Lutheran Church. The concert will still be from 4-7, with an intermission and free food and refreshments still provided by the church. The address is as follows:

1700 E. Pennsylvania, Coeur D’Alene, ID.

05/06/2023

NOTICE - Due to the weather, we have moved this Sunday's FREE Concert with Polyphony Marimba indoors at Christ the King Church at 1700 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Cd'A. Hamburgers, Hotdogs, Sodas & Coffee generously provided by the church. Suggested donation $ 10. Come join us to see Polyphony Marimba, a 9-piece Zimbabwean-style Marimba Ensemble based out of Santa Fe, New Mexico! Directed by Peter Swing, their music spans from traditional music of the Shona people, to contemporary compositions influenced by both African traditions, as well as Western/Classical traditions. The instruments, also made by Swing, include 2 soprano marimbas, 1 alto, 2 tenors, 1 baritone, 1 bass, a hosho (gourd shakers), and percussion. The group is made up of some of the top marimba players (of this style) in the country, having members based out of North Idaho, Eastern Washington, Oregon, California, New Mexico, Colorado, and Missouri. Don't miss this exciting high-energy performance!

05/06/2023

... hi Coeur D'Alene friends, we have and UPDATE for tomorrow's show !!! ... tell your friends! see ya then! ~ love karyna

05/06/2023

Coeur d’Alene we are in your city TOMORROW, Sunday, May 7th and we’ll be performing at Christ the King Church from 4:00-6:30pm! Join us as we bring you our high-energy Zimbabwe and original Marimba music and plan to enjoy and hamburger, hotdog, soda and coffee provided by Christ the King Church! There’s a suggested $10 donation and plenty of fun to be had, so we hope you’ll join us! And don’t forget your dancing shoes!
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Address: 627 North Government Way, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814
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