I finished up building my second mbira (or kalimba if you prefer).  It looks like the picture on the SoundClick site but is the mirror image of that picture.  That is because it is the other half of the gourd from which I built the first one.  I needed a song in which I could use these instruments ---- so, I wrote this one.  I tried a kind of African Fusion type of style.  That is way out of my comfort zone --- I guess I haven't learned from my other attempts at other genre and styles.
Since I am in new territory on this song, I would appreciate your comments on this attempt.
Thanks!
I hope you find it interesting at least.
 
How Will You Answer?
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_music.cfm?bandID=963481
 
 
Waters coming down from Lake Okeechobee
They're not fast flowing, they move very slowly
No snowcapped mountains so tall and steep
No geysers or canyons that run so deep
It's just a river of grass, in its simplicity
A river of grass, alive with diversity
Home of Calusa and Tequesta historically
Miccosukee and Seminole now share its bounty
It's just a river of grass  --  It's just a river of grass
 
Ancient home - of all humanity
From Cape of Good Hope to the Mediterranean Sea
A continent of incredible living diversity
Nurturing life with all of its bounty
Africa fashioned by human history
Like the river of grass with a future of uncertainty
The herds on the grasslands, the forests of the Congo
There are fewer now -  Where did they go (2X)
 
 
There are fewer now  - Where did they go (2X)
 
There are those who deny facts derived scientifically
They deny conclusions confirmed empirically
Now is not the time to argue angrily
Now is the time to act cooperatively
What about the children - what about the future
When they ask you why - how will you answer
When they ask about green trees and seas of azure
When they ask these things - how will you answer
 
When they ask these things - How will you answer (4X)

Outstanding song, superbly arranged, performed. The mbira sounds great.
 
Minor Criticisms: Rhythmic/flow 'conflict', vocal, echo-fx, mbria, percussion - creating an overall staggered feel.  There's a low hit on the percussion that resonates a tad too much low end boom, 'EQ filter cut' should easily clear that up (will also make the bass and kick sound clearer)!  There's also a (ride?) panned to one side that has a little too much hi-end and sounds a bit thin, a little EQ filter cut will smooth that out.
 
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Interesting stuff Freddy, I sus-p-e-c-t that the strange rhythm shift is down to the use of poly rhythms?  Overall it works.  Thanks for sharing. 

Freddy, I like your instrumentation in this song, and your lyrics are very good and haunting.  I felt a little herky-jerky rhythm in this which can be a little distracting if not done right.  Otherwise, this is a gem.

That was pretty cool!  I do feel the syncopation in the rhythm mentioned above which could be a little more in the pocket as a whole, but the song has this really cool vibe that works nicely.   Vocals come across well, nice flow in the lyrics.
 

You can dress it up with different instruments and call it anything you want, but to me this is blues!  One of your best tunes, Freddy.  It seems like there could have been some break or something but it actually held my attention all the way thru.  A nice departure from guitar, harmonica blues to mbira/kalimba blues!

Very cool Freddy - great lyrics.
I agree with the timing comments here and there 

 
Hi Greg.  Thanks for your very kind words and suggestions.  It was quite a challenge trying to get the mbira set up with some kind of tuning that I could use.  I agree with you about the rhythm issues.  As I believe you are indicating, I too believe that most of the problem is coming from the percussion.  Unfortunately I don't have the talent to build these, so I mostly use clips and loops. Also, unfortunately, my collection of African, world beat, etc. loops is rather small.  I did use a wav track that was sent to me by a friend quite a while ago.  I don't know if he built it or from where he got it but it was the closest thing that fit this song.  I had to do quite a bit of cut and paste but still ended up with intermittent volume issues and various noise problems.  I am going to go back to work on this and see if I can improve it with the hope that I won't have to build another from scratch (I'm just not a "handy man" with that).  Thanks again.
 
Hello John.  I appreciate your valued input.  As you will note above, I'm going to go back and do battle with the percussion and see if I can do anything to improve it.  That might take a while, so any specific suggestions would be appreciated.
 
Hey Lynn.  Thanks for the kind comments.  It is a bit herky-jerky and I will be trying to address this.  As I mentioned above, I not good at the percussion part, so any specific suggestions would be appreciated.  Thanks for listening.
 
Thank you Steve.  I appreciate your listening and taking the time to comment.  I'll try my best to address the rhythmic points that you and others have made.  Thanks again.
 
Hi Warren.  I appreciate that you got the tie-in between this style of music and the good old American Blues.  You are right this is the Blues. I also appreciate the kind comments.  Thank you my friend!  The mbira Blues  ---  that might make an interesting topic for a song.? ! ?.
 
Thank you Daryl.  I appreciate the nice words and comments, and yes, I do need to do something about the rhythm glitches.  Thanks for listening.