TriVo | Kurai Mubaiwa

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THE EAST VAN GOGOS Present 'Small Change For Big Change'!

All proceeds from this concert will go to the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which supports grandmothers ("Gogos" in Zulu) raising a generation of children orphaned by the AIDS pandemic in 15 African countries. Grandmothers in Africa have risen above their grief to put their grandchildren through school while leading the way by rebuilding communities and advocating for change in their societies. Canadians have raised more than $27 million for the campaign, which supports community-based organizations that provide necessities such as school fees and uniforms, counselling for grandmothers and orphaned children, and micro-credit loans. The East Van Gogos is one of more than 250 such groups across Canada. The Grandmothers Campaign movement, founded in 2006, is growing, with groups now in Australia, Great Britain and the U.S. For more information, please email eastvangogos@gmail.com.

Join the East Van Gogos for this musical event in partnership with the Rogue Folk Club. The evening includes the always-inspiring vocal harmonies of TriVo, as well as uplifting songs by Kurai Mubaiwa from Zimbabwe. Come ready to parlay your “small change” into big change by participating in the raucous live Loonie Auction, where every auction item will cost you only a loonie!

TRIVO

TriVo is Brian Tate, Dawn Pemberton and Karla Mundy. 

An award-winning composer, as well as an accomplished and versatile musician, choir director, and educator, Brian Tate attributes the success of his multifaceted career to a love of working with people and a passion for the arts. As a vocalist, Brian performs with his jazz quartet at festivals, clubs, and in concert. In 2010, Brian founded Vancouver's 100+ voice City Soul Choir. He is known internationally for his lively choir workshops, excellent conducting skills, gift for bringing out the best in choirs, and for his exhilarating and inspiring choral compositions / arrangements.

Vancouver soul dynamo Dawn Pemberton has a deep musical foundation rooted in tradition. Dawn spent her formative years surrounded by a family of multi-instrumentalists and developed a true love of music as a young girl. In addition to regularly collaborating on the projects of her peers and having an educated background in jazz voice and piano, Dawn is a talented and passionate songwriter in her own right. A staple of the West Coast music scene, Dawn can be found tearing it up as a vocalist, arranger, and go-to for live performances and studio sessions.

Karla Mundy is a vibrant, soulful and diverse vocalist, pianist, arranger and choir leader. Karla directs five Vancouver community choirs including the City Soul Choir, co-conducts the Island Soul Choir on Vancouver Island, leads harmony singing workshops and performs extensively throughout BC and Alberta. Karla specializes in world vocal traditions and rhythms and is passionate about ‘getting the music off the page’ and learning to embody the rhythm of the music.

Together, these talented folks make up TriVo ... a dynamic and versatile vocal trio that brings to life music from many cultures and traditions around the globe. From the music of West Africa to Southern Bluegrass, Bach to Bebop, Cuban chants to Gospel shouts, the vocal artistry of Trivo thrills and delights audiences of all ages.

KURAI MUBAIWA

Kurai Blessing Mubaiwa was born in 1976 in the village of Mutimbanyoka, in Murewa district, Zimbabwe. With an exceptional interest as a young child he began playing mbira at the age of six. This keen learner watched while his father, uncles and other village elders played mbira in traditional ceremonies and soon he began his journey as a young child singing, dancing, playing mbira and drums in traditional ceremonies and other village gatherings.

In 1994 Kurai moved to the city of Harare where he joined the cultural group Savannah Arts where he learned to play marimba and trained as an actor. Here he facilitated and coordinated the Streets Ahead programme which focused on teaching street youth to play marimba. In 1995 he participated in The Youth Forum and taught cultural arts in Copenhagen and Arhus in Denmark.

In 1998 Kurai toured West Africa and Europe with Chiwoniso Maraire and opened for Cesaria Evora. In 2000 he joined Theatre Talipot in Reunion Island performing in the production, Passage, which also toured South Africa, France and Scotland.

Kurai immigrated to Vancouver in 2002 where he began his Canadian musical journey. Here he began teaching at the Britannia World Music Program facilitating and instructing children, youth and adults marimba classes until 2010. He continues to facilitate and instruct marimba, singing, mbira and drumming workshops in Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, across Canada, and into North America and Europe.

Kurai also continues to perform as the lead musician with the group ZimbaMoto and Zhambai Trio.  As a solo act, Kurai also tours the world performing and teaching, singing, marimba and mbira at festivals as WOMAD, ZimFest and Montreal Jazz Festival.

The Rogue Folk Club is pleased to provide great Sponsorship Opportunities for all our shows. For a nominal cost, individuals or businesses can sponsor any of our shows and reap a number of benefits - free tickets, reserved table, recognition on literature, our web site and at the concerts. For more information, simply contact our Sponsorship Director Morris Biddle at mobiddley@me.com