Monday, January 7, 2008
The Ancestors - A Spirit in the Kalimba?

I get to play on thousands of Hugh Tracey kalimbas. Before I mail one out, I play it to make sure that everything about that kalimba is as right as it can be. If I can't make it right, I ship it back to Africa.

I notice that each kalimba has its own voice. If I open up a box and find a particularly beautiful kalimba that has a beautiful voice, I am tempted to purchase it and keep it for myself—but I never do. I feel that this kalimba is destined for some musician out there, and I send it out to them.

It really feels as if each different kalimba has its own spirit. If you think about the kalimba as having its own spirit, you will play differently with it—rather than seeking to impose your own will on the kalimba, you might seek to help the kalimba express with its own voice, discovering a more collaborative relationship with the kalimba.

 

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