Africa Music Library (AML), a non-governmental music collective dedicated to the archiving, preservation and study of African music, and connecting older and newer generation of African musicians towards the development of the continent’s music industry, has launched a podcast series on African music instruments.

Titled ‘Africa Music Studies Podcast’, the three-part series features two traditional African music instruments, the Oja, and the Mbira.

The first episode explores the south-eastern Nigeria aerophone instrument, ‘the Oja’, its cultural significance among the Igbo people, highlighting its vital role in ceremonies and communication.

The second episode focusing on Mbira, a xylophone-like traditional music instrument of the Shona tribe of Zimbabwe. Chairing the podcast are fusion musician, Aliddeki Brian and Conservation Advocate, Muhamago, as they try to unravel the enduring magic of Mbira. Their insights will transport listeners into the heart of the enduring magic of the instrument.

In the third and final episode, ‘The Mbira II’, performing artiste and ethnomusicologist, Othnell Manngoma Moyo, dives deeper into the Mbira’s history, significance, types and sound.

Audience can get free access to the podcast via the Africa Music Library app or click on the link to the podcast embedded in the weekly subscriber email forwarded to AML community members.