Chris is going to lead a choir workshop at the Muse, inside the School of Music on Barbadoes Street in Christchurch.

Here are the details,

Chris has worked with over 42 different choirs in the USA and Canada. Songs are accompanied by live drumming, Mbira (Thumb piano) or Marimba. The material is drawn from the ancient choral traditions of the Shona people whose favourite proverb is, ‘if you can talk you can sing.’ The uplifting songs include five part harmonies and lots of counter point indicative of most African choral music.

After 23 years of study, initiation & immersion in African music, Chris Berry has been Given the name Gwenyambira “one whose music calls the spirit”. A distinction reserved only for those who have mastered both the complexity & magic of the music. Now based in New York & touring regularly with his incredible world fusion dance band PANJEA,Chris advised by many of Zimbabwe’s spirit mediums has embarked on an international journey to share the ancient knowledge of Njinji using storytelling music, drum and dance. It is the hope that people around the globe will become practitioners of this powerful healing art form & use it as a means of strengthening ourselves, our communities & ultimately restoring balance & joy back into our societies.

THURSDAY  MARCH 25th     Venue- Muse Community Trust 140 Barbadoes Street, Level 3, inside the School of Music

6PM TO 9PM COST $30        Booking Essential

Further information:

Ra McRostie 03 434 8224  or mob 021 1154884

Jeff Duyndam 03 357 22217 mob 0210 273 7514

This video was taken by Corinne, one of the drummers here in Christchurch. The tall drum is called an ngoma. Here is what she says about the video,

“After tramping 70km through Nki National Park in the congo basin rainforest in Cameroon, we stayed the night at the Baka pygmy village on the outskirts of the park. One of villagers, Pierre, was our guide. The next day they performed some traditional music for me. They were infatuated with the videos i took It was an amazing experience.”

Here is a video of Chris Berry teaching a singing class at a recent African Drum and Dance camp in Australia.

Yemaya is the ocean, the essence of motherhood, and a protector of children from the African Yoruba Tradition.

After Chris’ African Dance and Drum camp in New Zealand over Easter 2009, he traveled to Australia to lead 2 more camps. This video is from a camp in Coffs Harbour.

I’m at a loss for words…

I’m back from an amazing healing experience. Sorry to get “woo woo”, but this is real, this is life at it’s best.

We learned that playing music, dancing, drumming, and singing is for healing and is healing. But to get this deep inside is shocking in a good way. I am appreciating Chris and his gift of music. Thank you!

You can listen to his songs at his website panjeamusic.com

You can also download 10 live mp3 tracks from their shows around the country at the website