Kalimba Magic NEWS

I thought the Yo-Yo Ma Dona Nobis Pacem contest was made for me and the kalimba. My failure to enter my recording on time ended up being a surpisingly fruitful turn of events.

John Roff of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, is a man living his life from his convictions. He and his family are carving out their own unique existence, trusting God's Spirit to lead them through their lives. Some of the interesting things that result from this posture to the infinite include the homeschooling of John and Jo's three children in a loving environment, a deep and abiding care for the earth and all creatures that live among its sacred ecosystems, and the experience that we can connect with the earth, its land, its creatures, and its history through making and playing music on location on this earth. He uses wooden flutes and the kalimba to accomplish this.

The KTabS program has been my primary tool for documenting and disseminating kalimba music in a form that other people can readily understand. I am very happy to start this new column in the newsletter devoted to helping people understand the power of KTabS.

Dear Mark, my kalimba won't speak to me anymore, and has been hanging out with some scruffy-looking shakers lately - what should I do to win back my little Treble?
Well, this column might not be able to help you with your wayward kalimbas, but this month we answer these questions:

This month our featured kalimba is another from my wife's collection - an ordinary Hugh Tracey Treble kalimba that has been retuned to a Middle Eastern scale and has had buzzers added, making this one really unique. I'll tell you how you can add buzzers like this yourself.