Trillium Marimba Ensemble: News

We are wanting someone or more than one to come with their own dwelling, or build thier own dwelling and live on the land in exchange for helping us get more sustainable and being with our animals and in our home when we are gone on our trips. we would love it if you loved music and kids and LOVE the earth and her gifts. Please call or write us if you are interested in living on our 29 acres with us.

We're happy to report that Trillium is at its best these days. The gigs are picking up and The north fork in Colorado continues to invite us for workshops and to see our family play music together. We wished for our music to be taken out of Santa Fe and to a wider variety of communities and it's happening! Spring will put us on the road again. We are saving up (slowly!) for a traveling van that can fit abunch of us and a bunch of marimba's. Jordan plays some mean 1st soprano these days and has put together a myspace page for Trillium.(see links). Clare is a gifted musician who charms us with her funny ways and great smile, Karyna continues to bless us with her ability to truely be extended family. Her musicianship is a gift. We call her Chipo (gift) these days, Therese is a blessing and can that woman play the bell! and Anna our newest member in training is a wonderful addition and friend the same age as Quianna. Quianna quit her intense dance training to start a kids marimba band and since Garadziva's visit in December, she dances AND plays like never before. Raven begins to play the drum kit with Trillium...distinguishing between the african feel and rock and roll. We are pleased to have such gifted and joyful kids of all ages in our lives. Peter has come up with a new song blasting through his soul and coming out in whispering songs in his sleep or getting us all to play lines for him. And I, Mikaela just figured out how to play kutsinira on the marimba! for years I have felt it....but that Boulder, Colorado foot stomping while playing has done me wonders and Ive got it! thanks for your patience Peter.

Hey out there, what a funny way to communicate...but it works! Just wanted to check in and say hello in this long, hard winter. I look out the window (at our neighbors computer for we dont have one at home) and see snow, snow, snow still! after being snowed in (3 and 1/2 feet, New Years Eve). We are so thankful for the warm weather this last week after bitter cold (for New Mexico) and frozen pipes, no water, big plumbing bills and lots of jigsaw puzzles. A few days after St Bridgids (the mid winter point) I do feel spring coming. the earth will give beautiful rewards this Spring...it will be a good time to come and BE with us on our land, in the music (or jigsaw puzzle, depending on the day). The kids got a job up at our old place (50 acres away) walking the dogs every day and to see them running on the land in the cold and in the snow...faces red with movement and joy. It just makes me so happy to be living out here in Cerrillos, NM in the Ortiz Mountains. We are blessed. We have visiters on a regular basis, to remind us that life is much funner when family is extended. We're so happy for you folks who come and bless our land and our home for days, or hours. keep coming.
Be well and keep in touch. we love to hear from you!

Zimfest will be held in Olympia, Wa from August 24th through 26th this year. The Swings make the trek every year and we are finding that it is our spiritual and practical way of remembering our roots (being NorthWest kids ourselves). We are thinking of bringing Trillium with us this year and doing a bit of a tour..up through Boulder, over and West to Eugene, Portland and then up to the beautiful Islands and then down through California and east again, back to New Mexico. If you are interested in having the Swings and or Trillium and! Nicholas Manomano come to your area for marimba classes or performances, do check in with us.

Tumbuka comes again right down the road from Swingland, May 30th through June 4th, 2007. This camp steeps in the village feel with the beautiful sound of marimba in the air all through the day and then mbira all through the night. Kids are learning and hanging with all the ages, while adults blend with them like its a natural thing to do. ha! IT IS NATURAL! by golly! check out our links toothers, to go to the site.

Nicholas Manomano, a 31 year old man, working as a marimba teacher at St. John's College in Zimbabwe may be coming to the US in the Spring. Nicholas lives and breathes marimba music of Zimbabwe in his homeland and has been spreading it to Germany in the last few years. We are applying for a VISA for him so that he can come teach marimba, nyunga nyunga mbira and ngoma at Tumbuka, Tatenda Music Center and Zimfest. If you are interested in him coming to your area anytime between June and September, contact me and we'll work it out. It will also be helpful for me to know if you are interested for then I can put you on the tentative schedule for VISA application purposes.

Musekiwa will be on The Swing Land, May 17th thru the 23rd. He will be teaching private lessons and groups too at Tatenda and on our land. email for more information. He will also be at the Railyard with Wagogo and Trillium, May 20th (see calender)

Hey! There's some new classes at Tatenda. check em out:
FAMILY RHYTHMN with Mikaela. This circle is for little kids and thier families. lots of song and conversation about village and Africa. We jam on the marimbas too.
BEGINNING MARIMBA with Mikaela. Mikaela doesnt really teach as much as she just plays with new players and if your going to take a class with her..prepare to sing.
BEGINNING MARIMBA with Peter. This class will move right along. and if you get too good for this one, there's always the next level....
ADVANCED MARIMBA with Peter. Get ready to play hard.
SONG CIRCLE with the Swings isnt new but is always fun and heart openning. Just drop in, Thursday nights 7pm.
MBIRA with Peter
GUITAR with Peter
All classes are taught at Tatenda, located in the Sanctuary of First Christian Church, 645 Weber, Santa Fe. email or call The Swings for times and to sign up
swingfamily@cybermesa.com 505-474-6088


G

We had a delightful day and evening with Maria Minaar and family from Texas. Maria grew up in Zimbabwe with her Daddy being the infamous Olof Alexsson, a big, sweet Swede who loved the music of the people. He was the director of Kwanangoma College and was a leader along with Zimbabweans in the marimba instrumentation that many of us use here in the States today.
We played some fantastic music together, Maria showed us that marimba songs dont always have to be African. Boy! Did they all whip out some fabulous songs like "Margaritaville and "I can see clearly now". Quianna made some brilliant chocolate eclaires and it was just one of those homedown times eating, music and the simplicity of friends and family. Today, The crew (Maria, Martin, David, Kathy, Tom, David and Cheyenne) found Peter at Tatenda and hung out. Tom saw that there was a bit of a leak (more like a river) running down the side of the church wall...well, he got out the ladder, ran to the hardware store and dang! if he didnt fix the roof...thats just an example of the kindly way these folks act.
going to Texas? Look up Maria: nyonico@hotmail.com

The Release Parties in Santa Fe and Boulder were awesome. As soon as we built our alter, honoring our beloved friends, Tom, Richard Boyce and others who have passed before us, we felt the ancestors blessings. Such music! friendship! sense of belonging! Santa Fe and Boulder have now been planted with the seed of dance til you drop events for the whole family. Thanks for the music!

Chemwainyera! What we have been waiting for has finally arrived-- our debut recording is finished! We are happy and satisfied after a long haul of inspiring work. We are glad to finally be able to offer you a high quality sound-picture of our work thus far. We are celebrating with two CD release parties, one in Santa Fe Feb 25th and one in Boulder March 4th (see "Calender").

Come dance and join us as Trillium reaches higher in our musical goals than ever. We have an excellent band lined up for the shows and a strong selection of songs, including all the songs from our CD, and a few surprises that will spice up the evening. If you would like to get a CD now, see the "Buy" page; otherwise we'll see you at the show!

As it says on the disc, we are commiting 10% of CD sales to Zimbabwe to support the artists who are the wellspring of Trillium's music. This and a portion of proceeds from the CD release parties will be given to the Tom DeFore Memorial Fund, which sends money directly to Zimbabwe.

Tom died on New Years Eve in Hawaii from an accidental fall. He was in his prime and was having the time of his life hiking for two weeks and playing music in paradise. He was a devoted mbira player, heart-mate of our band member Lauri Benblatt, selfless worker for the Zimbabwean people, an angel upon the earth. God bless you Tom! You are with us stronger than ever and in this time we give our music to you, and feel your presence in it!

Hey friends,

We just had a quiet, yet eventful week with Zivanai at Tatenda School of Music. Zivanai Masango, who lives in Boulder, Colorado was here in Santa Fe staying with his Ande family and teaching at Tatenda. He comes yearly to teach at Camp Tumbuka (see links) and now has come for the last two years to teach during the winter holidays. He again gifted our community with some really sweet songs. The beginning group learned a South African song praising the energy it takes to make beer for ceremonies. "Everybody, come and drink my African beer.." It was a funny moment, teaching the words to this song to a bunch of little kids. We were happily educated that beer is used in ceremony in Zimbabwe...not like how it is used here in the states.
Zi also taught an intermediate and advanced marimba class, I was very excited to see our 8 year old friend, Lucien really diving into a new level and getting it! Quianna took every class she could get her hands on. The guitar class was sweet and song class even sweeter.
Our show with Zivanai and Ande at our favorite, local venue, The Railyard Performance Center, last night was a success. lots of joy in dancing and friendships. kids racing, teens dancing showing off thier zest for life, families enjoying the community feel and even grandmothers sitting in the seats boppin to the music. It seems that Santa Fe is finally getting how wonderful it is to have a regular all ages dance party.
Zivanai will probably be back sooner than later. Santa Fe becomes another family for him to visit. we wish we could all go to San Francisco tonight to hear him play with String Cheese Incident. Africa in America..a beautiful compliment!
Happy new Year and may peace prevail!
Mikaela

After about a year of rehearsing and recording our first CD is almost here. We are celebrating with two release parties, one in Santa fe on Saturday Feb. 25th at the Railyard, and one in Boulder, CO the following Saturday, March 4th, location TBA.
We are very happy with the sound on this record--it is rich with vocals, accoustic guitar and complex marimba work. the songs on this CD have been "cooking" in our lives for about 12 years and we have finally reached a place with our family and musical life to put these songs out there in a high-quality recording.
The CDs should be here the first week of January. We are presently setting up the means to be able to order them online. Until then, to order one, you can send $18 (payable Peter Swing) to P.O. Box 801, Cerrillos, NM 87010, with your name and address, and we'll send you one. Or come to our release party!