Jenny Muchumi and Patience Chaitezvi, masters of the Zimbabwean instrument known as the mbira, present an evening of ancient, entrancingly melodic music with invigorating polyphony and polyrhythms. An important part of the rituals of Zimbabwe's Shona people for more than a millennium, the mbira is made of two dozen metal keys mounted on a wood soundboard inside a resonating calabash gourd, played with the thumbs and one finger, producing amazingly ethereal music that's both trance-like and energizing.

A fiery musician and dancer who is much in demand at many kinds of ceremonies in Zimbabwe, Jenny whistles, ululates, and sings with mbira, hosho (gourd), and ngoma (drum), as she galvanizes the crowd at a ceremony into frenzied participation. Jenny grew up with her grandmother, who was a spirit medium and traditional healer, and learned mbira from the musicians who played for her grandmother's spirit.

A quick learner, Patience began learning mbira from her older brothers while in the sixth grade, and by the next year was playing with them in ceremonies. She also sings, dances, and plays hosho and ngoma.