THE AFRESH

The Afresh BandThis truly international band of top-flight musicians from Zimbabwe , Poland, Slovakia, and Ireland was formed in Belfast in 2007 and brings a new slant to African rhythms mixing the eclectic approaches and influences of the players.The lead singer Sekuru aka Gabriel Makamanzi from Chimanimani, Zimbabwe started playing Mbira,(thumb piano) marimbas, Hosho and Ngoma at 13. He joined The Mighty Spiders Crew at age 18 before a stint with the famous Zimbabwean musicians Andy Brown.and Ambuya Stella Chiweshe. He moved to Belfast in 2003 were he start Talking Drum,with Wilson Magwere.then join The Motion Project before he stated The Afresh Band in 2007.Ján Uhrin from Trebišov, Slovakia started playing Drums aged 11 before taking up the Bass guitar at age 14. He has played in several Slovakian bands including Arcon, Bohéma and Energy. He moved to Northern Ireland in October 2004 and began playing with The Motion Project in 2005, during which time he met Gabriel Makamazi. He joined The Afresh in 2007.Peter Uhrin took up the sticks and began playing drums at nine and a half years old. His first band Arcon also featured his brother Ján on Bass and the two have always played together since, building up a large body of both live and recording experience in the process. He also joined The Afresh in 2007 at the same time as his brother.Krzysztof Malinski from Pila, Poland played the Flute from the age of 8 and took up the Saxophone at the age of 16. He has been involved in various musical projects both such as Tom Horn, CoramPublico,Strachy na Lachy in Poland and more recently Stella Chiweshe,The Motion Project,Living:Stone before joining The Afresh in 2008. Krzysztof has been based in Belfast since March 2004.Norman Muza from Harare, Zimbabwe started playing percussion at the age of 6, he started to play Mbira and Marimba, Ngoma and Hosho at the age of 15, followed by Guitar and Bass Guitar. He joined his first professional band Mighty Spiders Crew and Savannah Arts shortly after and has also played with Heritage Survival, Hohodza and picked up lots of session recording experience. He moved from Zimbabwe to Manchester, England in 2002 and moved to Belfast in February 2008 to join up with his old friend Gabriel Makamanzi in The Afresh Band.Chris Todd from Ballyclare, Northern Ireland, has been playing guitar since the age of 15, playing and recording with local bands such as The Strutts, Roadhouse, Talking Drum and K-Po-Kee before moving to Manchester in 2004 performing with musicians such as Lou Whatling, Supersession and Wyatt Shed Band. Chris returned to Belfast in June 2007 and joined The Afresh..