Mozambican marrabenta will be dressed in elegance and gain new sonic colors this Thursday (February 26th), when the flautist, saxophonist and composer Ivan Manyike, known artistically as Ivan Flute, takes to the stage of the Radio Mozambique Auditorium Studio to present the unprecedented musical project “Marrabenta Xique”.
This concert is part of the Mbenga Live Sessions initiative and will be broadcast live on Radio Cidade. Admission is free, upon donation of school supplies, which will later be given to children affected by the floods at the beginning of this school year.
According to Ivan Flute, the title of his project, “Marrabenta Xique”, arises as a celebration of Mozambican musical identity in dialogue with contemporaneity.
The project proposes a reinterpretation of marrabenta through new sounds, textures and aesthetic approaches, transporting this traditional genre to new contexts and audiences, without abandoning its rhythmic and cultural essence.
“The music combines urban elements with Latin, jazz, and contemporary influences, creating a sophisticated, danceable, and universal sound. The concept of ‘Xique’ symbolizes elegance, modernity, and artistic quality,” explained the instrumentalist.
In the concert, he will be accompanied by drummer Crimildo Chitara, guitarist Maciel Mendes, Orlanda da Conceição on bass, and Deuscio Vembane on keyboards.
The single “Good Feeling,” the project's first release, embodies this proposal by fusing marrabenta with the Latin montuno rhythm, resulting in a light, engaging, and contemporary composition that preserves Mozambican identity while engaging with the world.
Still in production, the album proposes a sonic journey through themes such as love, celebration, encounter, and identity, affirming marrabenta as a living language capable of evolving and asserting itself in the global musical landscape.
Holding a degree in Music from the School of Communication and Arts at Eduardo Mondlane University (ECA-UEM) and currently pursuing a master's degree in Digital Media Management, the musician is widely recognized as one of the leading figures in contemporary Mozambican instrumental music. He began his training at the National School of Music in 1995, specializing in the transverse flute and later expanding his expertise to different types of saxophone.
His career includes collaborations with prestigious national and international names such as Hortêncio Langa, Isau Menezes, Walter Mabas, Ernesto Dzevo (Ximanganine), Jimmy Dludlu, and Hugh Masekela, among others.
Alongside his artistic activity, he teaches wind instruments in the Higher Music Course at Eduardo Mondlane University, and was recently awarded a certificate of merit by the university's administration in recognition of his significant contribution to Mozambican culture.
The artistic direction of Mbenga highlights that “Ivan Manyike is one of the greatest treasures of national music. This session aims to showcase his mastery and reinforce our mission of bringing artists and audiences closer together.”
The Mbenga Live Session is a cultural project of the Mbenga Arts and Reflections Platform, in partnership with Rádio Cidade, which aims to promote contemporary Mozambican music and create experiences of closeness between artists and audience.
(By Joana Mawai)
