LISTEN:
2005 show at the M Shed in Bristol for BBC Radio with Chartwell Dutiro, Laurence Corns and Cecilia Ndvlovu. The tune is called Muttii, a song about identifying trees.
THE MUSIC OF ZIMBABWE
Over the years Laurence has played in a number of groups focusing on the music of Zimbabwe, in particular, the Mbira tradition.
He is influenced by guitar players, Jonah Sithole and Joshua Dube who took up adapting the guitar to the Mbira in the late seventies.
Having worked with artists such as Stella Chiweshe and the Bhundu Boys who he met through his teacher at London's School of Oriental and African Studies, Chartwell Dutiro, he has imbibed a lot of the rhythms, melodies and harmony that are associated with the Mbira tradition.
With this in his background he made a three month trip to Zimbabwe in 2012.
Here he spent time with Mbira players from Choanza Village: Prince Mandere, Chikombero Dutiro and William Chitauro. Mbira players from Harare like Sydney Muratu and Tute Chigamba and even some time in Johannesburg with Bezil Makombe.
This was documented in a series of field recordings which he's used as a basis for other creative original projects. His time spent playing African music has led him to share the bill with many legendary groups like Bembeya Jazz, Kanda Bongo Man, Tabu Ley Rochereau and Gilberto Gil.