Cosmas Magaya - Master of the Shona Mbira

from NYC Radio Live · host David Ellenbogen, host

Cosmas Magaya was one of the masters of the Shona Mbira, the magical trance music of Zimbabwe. Recorded in 2011, originally our 15th episode of NYC Radio Live, he sprinkled our conversation with musical examples and performances. Cosmas was featured on the classic album the Soul of the Mbira (1978) in and played a big role in the research in the accompanying books as well. He co-author a book called Mbira's Restless Dance with musicologist paul Berliner. This was one of the first NYC Radio Live Podcasts ever, we recorded in 2011

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jun 16, 2026

Embed this episode

Attribution link and audio player

NOW PLAYING

Cosmas Magaya - Master of the Shona Mbira

0:00 21:54

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

No similar episodes found.

Similar Podcasts

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of NYC Radio Live?

This episode is 21 minutes long.

When was this NYC Radio Live episode published?

This episode was published on June 16, 2026.

Can I download this NYC Radio Live episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.

URL copied to clipboard!