Monoswezi

Monoswezi is a trans-national music collective composed of Hope Masike (voice, mbira, percussion), Calu Tsemane (voice, percussion), Hallvard Godal (saxophone, clarinet, harmonium), Putte Johander (bass), and Erik Nylander (drums, percussion).^[1] The band's name is a portmanteau from the first few letters of the members’ respective nationalities: Mozambique, Norway, Sweden and Zimbabwe. Monoswezi is also a combination of the Greek word “mono”, meaning “one”, and “swezi”, which means “world” in a native South African dialect.^[2] Their music has been classified as a fusion between Scandinavian and African music, under the expansive “jazz” umbrella.^[3]

Monoswezi
20141206-Penang Island Jazz Festival – Bay view Beach Resort2451
Background information
Origin	Mozambique, Norway, Sweden, Zimbabwe
Genres	Jazz Traditional Zimbabwean African Scandinavian
Years active	2008 – present
Labels	Riverboat Records
Members	Hope Masike Calu Tsemane Hallvard Godal Putte Johander Erik Nylander
Website	www.monoswezi.com

The band was born out of a cultural exchange program between Africa and Norway back in 2008,^[4] when Godal lived in Mozambique and met Tsemane. Soon after, Tsemane and Masike connected with Godal back in Norway and began making music together.^[5] Since then the band has produced 3 albums under Riverboat Records and tours internationally.^[4] Their first album, The Village, was nominated for the Songlines Music Awards in 2014.^[6][7]

Discography

Albums

• 2021 Shanu
• 2017 A Je
• 2015 Monoswezi Yenga
• 2013 The Village