Since 1994 when I first heard it at a summer music festival in Eugene, OR, I have loved the African marimba ensemble music cultivated in the US by Dumisani Maraire.  From 2002 to 2010, it was my honor to play in Musasa Marimba Ensemble under my mentor, Michael Breez. Since then, I have directed the professional Hawai`i-based ensemble Kunzwa, taught marimba ensemble classes for youth and adults, written several marimba ensemble arrangements, and developed the skills to handcraft traditional, chromatic, and portable marimba designs.