Lora Chiorah-Dye

Lora Lue Sukutai Chiorah-Dye, a native of Zimbabwe, came to the United States in 1970. Since then she has been captivating American audiences with music and dance from her native culture, the Shona People of Zimbabwe.

Lora is an artist-in-residence with the Washington State Arts Commission. She crosses the state teaching Zimbabwean arts and culture. Performing and teaching come natural to Lora. "In Zimbabwe you grow up learning to sing, dance and drum.... The rhythmic music and dance, which is not recorded on paper, is handed down from generation to generation orally."

Lora has been instrumental in the development of the Pacific Northwest music scene. She organized and performed in an all women’s group called Gwinyai Mbira and Dance Ensemble from 1973 to 1979. In 1980 she organized and formed the Sukutai Marimba and Dance Ensemble. Since then Lora has choreographed the dance portion of the Seattle Children's Theatre premiere of Follow the Drinking Gourd, a play about the life of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. Lora features with several other Africa bands in Seattle. She delightes audiences singing a lively Zimbabwean song Ndiwe Muroyi Ndiwe with Nigerian pop star Sonny Okusan in 1989. Her world premiere of Expressions of Africa in Seattle's Kane Hall sold out.

Lora is available for lectures, instruction and performing. She is available as an artist-in-residence for levels K-12. She plays marimba, traditional shona drums, and the mbira. Other than singing and dancing traditional Shona songs, she also teaches scarf rapping and children’s games. She conducts African tradition dress fashion shows and is also available to conduct language courses in Shona.

Baba Maraire

Since he was a baby Baba Maraire (Tendai Maraire) has been playing Shona music from the country of Zimbabwe. When he was just 18 months old his mother Lora Chiorah and father Dumisani Maraire were teaching a class when young Tendai got up and starting playing what his parents were teaching. And thus the legend has begun. Tendai then went on to perform with his family “Sukutai” and would produce there first CD called “Tatenda”. Tendai arranged and produced the album at the age of 12 years old. Tendai also chose to learn the violin and played in his award winning Eckstien Middle School Orchestra.

For all of his high school years Tendai traveled with Sukutai touring around the United States, mostly performing traditional pieces and his father’s old arrangements. He then went on to start his own "indi" label; and Maraire Enterprises was born. He formed northwest's legendary hip-hop group C.A.V.E'. which also included his brother’s Dumisani Maraire Jr. and Ziyanai Maraire. C.A.V.E'. would go on to perform all over the Northwest, tour in Japan, Korea, and Guam. C.A.V.E'. has been the opening act for MC Hammer, The Grit's, Gospel Gangster and many other nationally known artists.

After performing with his family for all of his life Tendai decided to try his hand at a solo career. He released his first solo album, Album of the Year, under his rap alias Boy Wonder. As a solo artist and label owner, Tendai started to fulfill his dream of being one of the most well rounded artists in the music business. Tendai traveled to cities like L.A., Washington D.C., and even North Carolina's Duke University, opening up shows with several nationally known artists. Tendai was also able to open for such acts as Snoop Doggy Dog and Hip-Hop Legend Slick Rick. Tendai is now working on his second hip-hop release title F&^$* Hip-Hop, which he collaborated on songs with Butterfly of Diggable Planet's, Vitamin D, Jay Hits, and a few surprises.

More importantly, Tendai has chosen to go back to his roots by releasing his first mbira album titled "Wona Baba Maraire". Tendai is preparing to give the Zimbabwean fans in the northwest what they have been eager to here. As the oldest Maraire and heir of his father’s legacy, Tendai has now become Baba Maraire. "I am ready to take the responsibility of picking up where my father left off. I just want to continue to expose the world to marimba and mbira music. I want to build on what my sister Chiwoniso Maraire is doing now and spread my culture while I make the world aware of the social and economic issues Zimbabwe is dealing with" – Tendai Maraire. Baba Maraire has recently finished producing, writing, and recording a new Sukutai Marimba album that he promises has a lot of surprises. "I did my best to create a new style of music as well as keep the traditional feel of the music. But it is and will continue to be a work in progress as" - Tendai Maraire.

All together Tendai has now become Baba Maraire and is excited to grow shona music. As his father was and his mother has always been, Baba Maraire is a multi-talented musical phenom that brings joy to audiences. It is no accident that Tendai was born from two of Zimbabwe's pioneers who have spread traditional Shona music of Zimbabwe. If you have ever had the blessing of being touched by Lora or Dumi, when you hear Baba Maraire you won’t be disappointed.

"I just want to do things with the Mbira and Marimba that no one thought would be possible, I want to help bring the world together one song at a time"

Baba Maraire