Robbi K on We Play Well Together Instruments & The Spirit of Kwanzaa
We Play Well Together presents an online Kwanzaa celebration with musical artist Robbi Kumalo
Our friend Robbi K offered a live Zoom Kwanzaa celebration in which she shared how she uses her instrument collection in connection with Kwanzaa — an annual celebration of African-American culture observed from December 26th through January 1st. This video features highlights of her presentation showcasing the We Play Well Together family of instruments, including the Zenko Drum by Metal Sounds (Combo Tuning), a feeltone Monolini Monochord (F Tuning), and a Hokema Kalimba (Sansula Renaissance in A-minor).
Robbi Kumalo is a musician whose career spans decades and who was recently featured on the Grammy-nominated album "All One Tribe."
For more than 25 years, Robbi K's concerts have been joyous and exhilarating — focused on engaging the entire family, from grandparents to toddlers. Everybody participates with voices, hands, feet, and hearts. Robbi K's powerful lyric soprano has graced TV commercials for Coca-Cola, Lincoln Mercury, and GE, while onstage and in studios she has built an active career as a backup singer for superstars including Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Jewel, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, Daniel Rodriguez, Mary J. Blige, and Harry Belafonte.
Robbi K presents a variety of lively, interactive musical and storytelling concerts, including "Keep the Beat," which has been performed at NYC's Symphony Space, The Philadelphia International Children's Festival, The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota, Florida, The State Theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and The Berks Jazz Festival. Her most requested show — inspired by Paul Simon's Grammy-winning Graceland — plays in venues nationwide. As a storyteller, her show "Turtle's Shell" (derived from her Parents' Choice Award-winning CD Keep the Beat!) blends music and spoken word in an outstanding and unique way.
Robbi was a 2021 contributor to the Grammy-nominated "All One Tribe" album — a 25-track project from the 1 Tribe Collective celebrating the rich culture and diversity that Black voices bring to family music, featuring 24 family music artists from across the USA.
We're honored to have Robbi K as part of our feeltone Monochord community, where she has generously shared her musical gifts in our Monochord Monday Meetup sessions throughout the pandemic. Robbi also regularly participates in the Sounding Soak concert series on the Sounding Circles Club on Clubhouse. She is a wonderful ambassador for We Play Well Together, incorporating all of our instruments — Monochord, Zenko Drum, Tinka Tongs, Kalimbas, and Sansulas — into her musical offerings.
Thank you WE PLAY WELL TOGETHER! I couldn’t be more happy with my new D Monolina and appreciate everything about this magnificent and unique instrument as well as the help in ordering from Gabriele. I already am feeling the healing benefits and look forward to using it in my Sound Healing/Music Therapy work!
I have only had my Monolina C for about 10 days, and already I have fallen in love with it. The craftsmanship is beautiful. I purchased the legs and travel bag as well, and yesterday traveled with it to visit a friend who is recovering from surgery. I tried out the placement of the monolina on her body, and she said it felt amazing and reduced her level of discomfort tremendously! I also really appreciate the excellent customer service from Gabriele, who helped me with some questions about purchasing, and then with some initial tuning questions. I was also able to attend one of the Monochord Monday Meet-Ups, which I found very inspiring. I highly recommend both this company and the high quality instruments!
I run this kalimba through effects pedals and get some amazing soundscapes with it. Very versatile and beautiful. Highly recommended. I appreciate that we play well together carries these wonderful instruments. Highly recommended.
A beautiful Kalimba. I run this through effects pedals and you can do some amazing musical soundscapes with it. I would certainly buy again. I appreciate weplaywelltogether carrying and shipping this item. Highly recommended.
A delicate and elegant musical instrument. I like that it is tuned to key of C. It is not for leaving outside on the patio, but rather kept with other musical instruments. I love the sound of it with my kalimba.
