Spike fiddles

The zeze is a spike fiddle from Tanzania - and a member of a fiddle family played all over Africa and Asia. The zeze is composed of a wooden neck that goes like a spike through the gourd body of the instrument, while the bridge rests apon a banjo-like skin mounted over the top of the body.

Maganga Singida Neema demonstrated zeze playing and singing for me earlier today in Trondheim. He is on tour in Norway this month, and will be performing with the Tumaini Group in a couple of days. Maganga Singida's instrument has two strings: one for melody and one used as a drone. Fingers touch the strings to change notes, without pushing down against any fingerboard.