iAM MUSIC Presents: Concerts @ The Durango Arts Center. Join us for what we hope will be the first of many concerts to come at the Durango Arts Center featuring two amazing artists from Africa:

Bongeziwe Mabandla Trio- South Africa

Blessing Bled Chimanga- Zimbabwe

Bongeziwe Mabandla Trio

Known as the enigmatic spirit of African Soul, South Africa’s Bongeziwe Mabandla is a multiple award-winning artist who has recorded four acclaimed albums, performed on an array of national and international stages, become a sought-after creative collaborator and expanded his talents into film and visual art. Part of the Black Alternative sound that is staking its claim as among the most singular and compelling music forms around, Mabandla first came to the attention of music fans with his 2012 debut, Umlilo. Working with composer, instrumentalist and producer Tiago Correia-Paulo, he has since released a trio of albums - Mangaliso (2017), iimini (2020) and his latest, amaXesha (2023). Among his many accolades are twp South African Music Awards (SAMA) for Best Alternative Music Album (Mangaliso in 2018 and iimini in 2021), Best Music Video at the 2018 Capital City Black Film Awards and at the Jozi Film Fest for “Bawo Wam”, a collaboration with Spoek Mathambo, iimini being included in American Songwriter’s Top Albums of the Year in 2020 and amaXesha being selected as Global Album of the Month by the UK’s The Guardian in April 2023. Mabandla also featured in ColorsxStudios’ HOME/BRED series during the global lockdown - a performance that later featured in the platform’s Best Of edition - and followed it up with a mesmerising performance of ‘sisahleleleni (i)’ off imini on Colors in April 2023.

Mabandla’s acclaimed live performances have seen him regularly sell-out tours and perform internationally at different venues and festivals including London’s 100 Club, Reeperbahn Festival(Germany), Lake of Stars (Malawi), Afrovibes Festival (Netherlands), Womex (Finland) the Oslo World Festival (Norway) and at the last six Safiko Music Festivals in Réunion. A creative explorer of the highest order in 2022 he made his film debut in Augure, a film by Belgian-Congolese artist Baloji that won the “Un Certain Regard” New Voices Award at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

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Blessing Bled Chimanga

Blessing Chimanga is an internationally acclaimed artist from Zimbabwe, known for his talents as a marimba player, singer, songwriter, and percussionist. He has toured worldwide across Asia, Europe, North and South America, and Africa, performing with his own African bands as well as participating in intercultural projects as a musical cultural ambassador of Zimbabwe. Some of these projects include Zimboita, Kunzwana #1, and Mama Africa. Blessing’s music is characterized by a unique sound, blending his virtuoso marimba playing with the authentic and powerful rhythms of Africa. His live performances are particularly notable for their high-energy African spirit and his outstanding talent as an entertainer.

Currently, Blessing is one of the fastest-rising musicians in Zimbabwe. He has performed at numerous international festivals, including HIFA (Zimbabwe), Global Isai Festival (India), Barefeet Festival (Zambia), Iguazú en Concierto (Argentina), Glatt & Verkehrt (Austria), Oslo Arts Festival (Norway), and many more. He has shared the stage with renowned musicians such as Oliver Mtukudzi (Zimbabwe), Eric Wainaina (Kenya), Amanda Elabanda (Italy), Sona Jobarteh (Gambia), Wezi (Zambia), Kunle Ayo (South Africa), and Freshlyground (South Africa).

Blessing has had the honor of performing for His Excellency, the Prince of Chennai, and has been invited to perform at significant events in India. In 2018, he served as the music director and was responsible for artist selection at Zimbabwe’s largest festival, the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA). In 2014, he was selected to represent Zimbabwe at an arts residency in the USA called OneBeat.

For many years, Blessing has been a percussion adjudicator at the National Institute of Allied Arts (NIAA) in Zimbabwe. He has also served on the planning committee of the NIAA Festival, contributing to the development of the African syllabus for the competition. Blessing has coached multiple marimba bands in Zimbabwe, including leading the Winad Marimba Band on four tours to Argentina as their coach. He is currently the marimba coach and producer at the Kutandara Center in Colorado, USA.

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