This is space for Pax Nindi's Press Pack

 

Pax Nindi:
Marakatu Mbira

Region: Southern Africa    Genre: World

Posted on Nov 27, 2011, 13:27 by Pax Nindi (1 posts)

This instrumental track by Pax Nindi aka Harare Dread was influenced by the meeting of modern Jazz, Zimbabwean spiritual Mbira music and the way Brazilian Maracatu traditions inject spiritualism in Carnival.
Marakatu Mbira was recorded as a collaboration between Pax Nindi, Linos Wengara (Mbira) Ylê de Egbá (Brazil Maracatu) and Mark Winfield (Jazz guitarist). 

The track is in Pax's latest album "Povo" which was recorded following his Carnival 2011 tour in NE Brazil check tour on
http://www.youtube.com/user/paxnindi?ob=5

Now based in both UK and NE Brazil Pax Nindi whom apart from being crowned the master of African Reggae is also recognised as the musical ambassador ever to come out of the African soil and his a unique sound which is not compared to any other artist.

For the past 20 years Pax has released some music which he wrote and produced and this track is his first ever collaboration with other artists and is a welcome in his album collection and his fans.

By Marcelo on 27 Nov 2011 at 05:49 pm

Here in Recife Pax visited our kids from the streets and showed them how to sing Shona. I have worked with the children for seven years and never seen them so happy He invited them to his concert and they still ask when he come to Brazil again. Thank you for showing the picture of your kids. Pax told us about them.You are very lucky, our children want to see Pax again. We love Pax he is spiritual and listen to his Povo album all the time Obrigado Marcelo

By stella on 27 Nov 2011 at 05:54 pm

We have just watched the video and would like the whole live show in Brazil. Can you please send the video I will pay for it. I am a Zimbabwean studying in Leeds and have been a committed Harare Dread fan and have this great man perform live. Tumani sounds great with the work you are doing wnd would love to volunteer when I come to Africa. All the best Stella Mapusato

By Wellington on 27 Nov 2011 at 06:00 pm

Rambayi muchibatsira vamwe nhai mukoma Pax asi musakanganwe nyika yenyu ye Zimbabawe. Pamberi ne HARARE DREAD Mazvita Welly

By Paul on 27 Nov 2011 at 06:12 pm

I have a friend in England who send this information to me because she knows I am big fan for Pax Nindi like most peoples in Olinda Pernambuco. I have looked at your website and now understand what Pax was meaning when he said on stage "This song is for children especially the ones in Tumaini!" I still remember that and he told us they make the shirts. Peace and love to all the kids in Kenya from Brazil!!

By Mariana Haddad on 27 Nov 2011 at 06:15 pm

Viva Tumaini Children, Viva Pax Nindi music, Viva my Brazil, Viva Kenya and Zimbabwe! Long live Pax Nindi music! Mariana H

By Tito Jorge on 30 Nov 2011 at 10:33 am

I like Tumani feature our hero and the shirts looked spectacular when Pax band played in Recife.Thank you to all the children who respected Pax and made the shirts - you are blessed youth! It compliment Nindi Reggae music which Brazil love a lot. Please see the article of Pax Nindi when he started his tour and below my friend Jackie wrote something nice on the comments below article Obrigado http://www.socanews.com/articles/article.php?Pax-Nindi-220

By Pax Nindi on 30 Nov 2011 at 12:12 pm

Thanks Tumaini, Kadija (still to meet), Sarafina (who introduced me), Maria (only met once through the shirts) and most important the children Im looking forward to meet. Pleased friends appreciate work at Tumaini + efforts Kadija and the kids made on presenting the shirts. Lets use the energy to support the kids in an educational artistic way. Will speak with Sara on ways to artistically support project. See article on http://www.hararedread.net/news.html Mazvita (Thanks)

By Felipe da Costa on 28 Dec 2011 at 09:19 am

My amigos has just told ma Pax is in Rio, please please let me know where he playing?? I told my friends about his music and stage show I witnessed when he played with Georome in Salvador and all want to see him live - amazing!! Axe Felipe from Rio Brazil

By Zak on 07 Jan 2012 at 06:53 pm

Please let us know where in Kenya Pax Nindi will be performing and thanks for bringing the King of African Reggae to Kenya!!! My friend thinks its this summer but it doesnt say on his website? Peace Zak

 

PAX NINDI IN BRAZIL

Written by : Soca News
Location : Trinidad & Tobago
Posted : Thu 17 February 2011 : 11:54:51 PM

You may recall the name of Pax Nindi; if you do, you may not be able to place it. And if you cannot place it, it probably not because he’s some random person you met at a party once but has a distinctive name, and more likely because you’ve seen his (admittedly, memorable) name in so many contexts that your brain has become confused.

Pax used to be the Senior Carnivals Officer for Arts Council London, but is now Creative Producer of Combined Arts Services, an international consultancy. He also began the Global Carnival Centre, which you can find online: a one-stop-shop for all things carnival-related. He promotes his country of birth, Zimbabwe, whenever possible, including with the introduction of his ‘Zimheroes’, three giant puppet carnival heads depicting characters important in the country’s history, used to bring attention to the Zimbabwean crisis. And last but by no means least, Pax’ band, Harare Dread, disseminates African reggae around the world. His most recent exploits, through which we follow him, have been taking place in Brazil.

Following a series of musical collaborations and performances in Pernambuco and Bahia, Pax Nindi returned to Pernambuco in order to joining the carnival celebrations, to tour and perform with the cream of Pernambuco musicians in support of his new album, Povo. Travelling from his London base, this Zimbabwean musical ambassador kicked off with his first performance in Brazil this year, at the Recife Reggae Festival on 27th February.

In an interview with Soca News, Pax commented, “Ever since Energia, through his organisation Produca Arte, invited me to perform in Pernambuco three years ago I have been going there again and again. The place has culture, surrounded by talented artists and the fact that I am still in self-exile from Zimbabwe, it has become my other home. It’s good to be in a place you are welcome and respected for your talent, and it’s funny that before this most people in the carnival world in Brazil knew me as a British government agent because of my carnival work with the Arts Council of England.”

About his impending album, Pax said, “I am so excited about this album for many reasons, even though it’s taken me over two years. What’s been exciting is that it is the first album I have ever done as a collaboration with artists from various musical genres. Each time I performed in Brazil I invested my fees on recording collaborations with other artists, from the reggae masters of Pernambuco like Marcelo Santana and members of the Trindade Dub band to the best Maracatu groups in the area such as Maracatua Puarto Rico and Yle de Egba, as well as with one of my favourite Olinda rock bands, Ze Pilintra”. The theme of this album is a musical journey, which goes through spirituality to appealing for support for some members of society who are poverty stricken - hence the title, Povo, which more or less means the same thing in both Zimbabwe and Brazil, ‘the people’ or ‘nation’.

“I’m not a heavy supporter of new technology, but am pleased that it has helped me do what I have not managed to do in my past international collaborations. I managed to record the foundation of this album in various studios in Olinda and Recife, then took it back to my London studio where collaborations continued working with UK and African artists such as the talented Zimbabwean mbira player Linos, Crispy horns who have played with me since the beginning of Harare Dread, and serious jazz guitarist Mark Winfield. To finish production apart from working from Harare Dread studios in London, I did more cross country travelling within the UK, mixing and mastering in Nottingham, Bristol, and Cambridge, collaborating with some of the best engineers in the UK”.

The music on the album is a montage, linked through the different musical genres aligned to Africa, Brazil the Caribbean and Europe. When asked about the politics in his country, Pax reluctantly replied, “I am just an artist, and leave my music to fight the evil spirits which possess some of the world leaders today. Because the media only picks up on the situation in Zimbabwe when there is no other news, it means that some of us can break the news in rhymes and rhythms, to keep the world informed. Three years ago I sounded like a prophet when I told the Brazilian media about the trouble which was brewing in my country, and then a few months later it all kicked off and when I went back to Brazil everyone was aware of the situation. It’s funny that one of those journalist was Renato L, who is now the Secretary of Culture in Recife - which is one of the reasons I love that place. It is an inspiring place where people like Renato, who were involved with peoples’ movements in the past, can be accepted in government, something that I don’t see happening in a lot places around the world.”

Pax will be performing, backed by members of Trindade Dub and Marcelo Santana’s band. He will also be guest performer to some of the local groups that he has recorded with on the album. Brazil is lucky to have this talented artist, who has been away from home for over seven years yet still carries his Zimbabwean and Malawian culture (as witnessed in the Povo album). It probably also helps, while he is in Latin America, that he is also a carnival guru!

Harare Dread & Tumaini

By Sarafina Kantharia on 26 Nov 2011

With the opening of our new textiles department, the children are already making headlines as a set of tailored costumes for HARARE DREAD travelled to Brazil to accompany the artist and his band during the first performance of Pax Nindi’s Povo song at Pernambuco’s popular Cena Festival in North East Brazil. Povo is the title song of Pax new album.

Pax Nindi aka HARARE DREAD is the Master of Roots African Reggae and an international renowed carnival guru, musician, journalist, consultant and cultural ambassador.

He is a strong supporter and friend to the Tumaini kids and was so inspired and touched by the children’s musical talent and energetic performances that he requested the same set of Freedom Flag Costumes to be made for his band to wear on their brazilian tour!

We hope to collaborate more with Pax in the coming years as he helps us to fly the flag high for Tumaini!  Watch Video

 

Dreads Flying, feet skanking, Harare Dread left the students in a trance
T3D - Exeter University

150 young people came to our Jazz and Roots Club event and it was brilliant to see the place full of young people dancing, getting a feel for Pax Nindi’s beat and understanding more about African Reggae, its roots and history. – It was a great atmosphere!
Dave Bassett – Drum To DJ project

After the encores, Pax Nindi left the Notting Hill punters screaming for more African Reggae in a space where others had failed to get the crowds moving
DJ Wala - Limpopo Club

 
Recognised for his distinctive concoction of Afrikan Reggae rhythms with thought provoking lyrics, Pax HD is one of the most captivating musical ambassadors ever to emerge from the Afrikan soils. His distinct style is like a breath of fresh air in the music business now saturated by copycats.
Brian Moyo – Zimbabwe Sunday Mail

 
A sight not to be missed
World Of Music and Dance (WOMAD)

 
The social and political resistance from, the underprivileged but very positive communities are the main influences of his music.
Combined Arts Services

 

 

 

Richmix Press Release

Pax Nindi - better known as Harare Dread, the master of African reggae - is coming to Rich Mix for his only London show this year and his first London show for two years. Returning from a highly successful Brazilian tour, Pax Nindi brings his energetic, rhythm filled show back with him to delight his fans and newcomers alike.

Since the mid 80s, Zimbabwean born and Malawian bred Pax continues to develop a worldwide musical audience as Harare Dread, moving reggae into musical territories mapped out by the sounds and rhythms of Africa.

Recognised for his distinctive concoction of African Reggae rhythms with thought provoking lyrics,Harare Dread is one of the most captivating musical ambassadors ever to emerge from the Afrikan soils.

To those new to Pax Nindi, his music is described as 'hot and heavy', incorporating original rhythms through live performances, which are high energy dubbed by his critics as a sight not to miss. With lyrics in Shona and Chewa backed by the rhythms of Jamaica, Zimbabwe and Malawi, the man still remains the unchallenged master of live roots African reggae. He is a multi-instrumentalist whose talents include bass guitar, percussion, drums, mbira, lead vocals, keyboards and unusual guitar rhythms.

 For more information contact Shakira Hylton

Pax Nindi before and after he became Harare Dread - the master of Afrikan Reggae roots music. Since the 80s, the has been giving the world his own concoction of Afrikan reggae sounds brewed in Shona, Chewa incorporating the rhythms of the Caribbean, Europe, Brazil and Afrika.

The video is a long Harare Dread journey from Notting Hill Carnival, Paris Reggae festival, WOMAD to Spain, Brazil and to places where Harare Dread is requested. According to his rave reviews "Harare Dread live is a site not to miss!"

Special clip dedicated to our brother and ex Harare Dread percussionist the late Ras Benjai.