Miriam Mandipira was born in Zimbabwe and was singing from a very early age.She became the lead vocalist of "Luck Street Blues Band" in 1996, which is the starting point of her career in music. With the band she experienced jazz, blues, soul and gospel as interrelated music without distinct borders between the genres.
The band being one of the most popular in Zimbabwe, Miriam became known and famous throughout the country during the 9+ years she performed with the band.
Miriam left Zimbabwe (and "Luck Street Blues") in late 2005 and settled in South Africa, and here she became known in Johannesburg as "The Queen of Blues", when performing regularly in the Bluesroom and with the great South African blues band "Strange Brew".
Just when Miriam and the "Strange Brew" were developing the obvious magic connection further, life decided to send her to Denmark, where she has lived since April 2007.
From the start she performed regurarly with various musicians in Mojo Bluesbar, Copenhagen -performing at the Copenhagen Blues Festival in 2007 and 08- before she through "Advokatens New Orleans Jazzband" and "Kim Menzer Blues og Jazzband" was introduced to the jazz scene in Denmark.
It proved to be difficult to settle musically as an individual performer in Denmark, but as a guest-singer she performed in 2008 with "Advokatens New Orleans Jazzband" at Riverboat Jazz Festival and with "Doc Houlind´s All Stars" at the Sildajazz Festival in Haugesund, Norway, where she was called in to replace Marva Wright, and had the opportunity to sing with Lillian Boutté.
In the autum of 2008 she was engaged as one of the regular guest singers with "Paul Harrison Band", which is one of the very best jazz bands in the country, and Miriam continues to enjoy performing with them. look up for arrangement near you...!
Throughout the period she was occasionally performing with "Kim Menzer Blues and Jazzband", and in addition with other bands/various connections.
In 2009 she was happy to be invited by "Red Hot Four" to open Riverboat Jazz Festival 2009 with them at a Church Concert in Silkeborg, and later opening the "Snake City Festival" with the same great band.
You can now find "Red Hot Four" and Miriam giving church concerts throughout the country.
In spring/summer 2009 Miriam started performing with the band "Zebrass", with whom she has had some outstanding performances and some are still to come.
But since Miriam´s arrival on the Danish music scene, it has been a struggle to find the right musicians for the "Mandipira band"... musicians who are not only capable but open minded and unlimiting in behaviour and approach to music... and three years on and a few trials along the way, the search in still on...."
She is through shows with Piano and Voice growing and developing a strong musical connection with Carsten Kjaer Nielsen, with whom she has been very succesfull up until now in Northern Jutland and in Silda Jazz/ Haugesund Jazz Festival.
Watch out for that combination in future !
Miriam started to perform with "Klüvers Big Band" in the beginning of 2010 and is having a number of concerts with this great band, including school-concerts and in December they will have a Christmas-Gospel Tour bringing them to Hobro, Portalen, Århus,Slagelse og Skanderborg, and new concerts are planned for 2011.
At present Miriam is developing a programme with a group of brilliant musicians from Fyn - called "Her Danish Friends" - with whom she has performed numerous church concerts , and with whom she will increasingly perform with in the future.
One thing you can be sure of: Miriam is always true to "The Great Ladies of Song", who inspire her.
Always trying to play ONLY with exceptional musicians, you can be sure to get a musical experience to remember.
