Thu 4/27 @ 8PM
The son of a Malawian missionary family, Peter Mawanga gave up studying mechanical engineering in favor of pursuing his lifelong love of music, thanks to an album he recorded for fun in 2002 that turned out to be a huge hit in Malawi.
Since then, he’s developed a sound that combines contemporary rock music with traditional African rhythms and songs that speak about poverty and injustice. He formed his current band Peter Mawanga and the Amaravi Movement has honed that synthesis which features native Malawi instruments, including mangolongondo, a form of marimba and sansi, a thumb piano, along with vocals in Malawi’s native language, Chichewa.
The ensemble will be performing at Cuyahoga Valley Ntional Park’s Happy Days Lodge. Tickets are $20; $15 for CVNP Conservancy members; $10 for students.