Mara

Introducing Mara: Haunting female vocals and intertwining instrumentation of the highest order fuse African and jazz elements to create something both unique and new.

The group is incredibly well known in the Free-State province, with individuals from the group having previously been Peter Nthwane's backing band. Aside to this element, that certainly made them recognizable as individuals, the group has scoured the entire province over the last year with live performances that continue to this day under their own name.

All of the musicians of Mara are self-taught and through discipline and determination have managed to make a successful career for themselves — this is no mean feat when coming from "out of the way" Bloemfontein! It has been a long road for the band that first got together in 1999. After several group member shuffles, the band's current line-up of musicians has stayed the same since 2002 and will remain the same for many years as the group continues to grow from strength to strength in solidarity.

The band has an impressive performance history having played on many big and small stages including the MACUFE festival, Vuka Festival, Grahamstown National Arts Festival, Lesotho Festival to name but a few. Furthermore the group represented the Free State in the Old Mutual Jazz encounters final round and received the premier's certificate for being positive youth role models.

The road has been bumpy and long, but now with this amazing debut release the band has a very bright future indeed and the path has become a highway.

— Courtesy Calabash Music