Filbert Marova’s journey into music began early in Dzivaresekwa.
While other children played games, he was already experimenting with sound—first on marimba, then on a homemade three-string oil tin guitar.
By 11 he had his first acoustic guitar, and at 15 he was studying classical guitar and leading his first band, Scanners International.
Four decades later, Marova is recognised as one of Zimbabwe’s most adventurous jazz pianists, composers, and educators.
His career spans six albums, countless collaborations, and a bold new genre he calls Mbiriano.
Though music had long been his language, jazz entered his world in 1993 at the Zimbabwe College of Music when Mozambican classmate Celso Paco introduced him to Jobim’s The Girl From Ipanema.
The revelation led him to Charlie Parker, Herbie Hancock, and Abdullah Ibrahim—artists who still influence his sound.
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Marova’s versatility has taken him through Afro-fusion with Frontline Kids, classical and mbira blends with Jacaranda Muse, jazz fusion with Jazz Invitation, and standards with Riders Band and Z-Brass. Each chapter added depth to his artistry.
“I’m an adventurous pianist,” he says. “I embrace diverse traditions and avoid strict labels—I see myself as a piano explorer.”
It was during the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2021 that Marova stumbled into his defining innovation. Transcribing mbira pieces onto piano as therapy, he began layering jazz riffs and harmonies. The result was Mbiriano—a fusion of Shona mbira rhythms and polyphony with jazz improvisation and syncopation.
His 2023 release Mbiriano Style won acclaim for its originality, while his latest album Metamorphosis (2025) pushes the experiment further. “It represents transformation—like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly,” he explains.
Despite global influences, Marova’s music remains rooted in Zimbabwean heritage, evident in albums such as Kariba Bream and Nyanga Trout. Yet he dreams beyond borders—naming Lady Gaga as a dream collaborator to give Mbiriano global reach.
Offstage, Marova is an educator and founder of the Zimbabwe Jazz Community Trust. He believes jazz cultivates freedom, adaptability, and cultural memory. For young musicians, he stresses access, standards, and competitiveness.
Reflecting on his career, one memory stands out: a sold-out HIFA concert with Africherry Music. “The energy was electric,” he recalls. “It showed me the powerful potential of our own music.”
Now with six albums and a legacy of mentorship, Marova hopes to be remembered as both teacher and pioneer who documented and expanded Zimbabwean jazz.
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