Featured in ‘Living in Maputo’, July 2013

By Eline Jakobs

Albino Mbie: From Benfica to Berklee

Mozambican guitarist Albino Mbie was born in the neighbourhood of Benfica, Maputo. Fueled by
the resourcefulness and determination that have always characterized Mozambicans, he built his
first guitar at 16 from a 5-liter can of oil, scrap wood, and strings made out of electrical cords.
Drawn to the sounds of neighbourhood street musicians in Maputo, Albino began to play in a
number of local bands and soon played with renowned Mozambican musicians like Roberto
Chitsondzo, Mingas, Zé Maria and Prof. Orlando da Conceiçao.

He studied music education and performance at Eduardo Mondlane University, but he knew that for
his talent to grow, he needed to experience new places, cultures, and sounds.
When he heard about the Berklee School of Music in Boston, USA, he saw a chance to expand his
musical horizons. Soon after, Mbie was one of the first students to receive a full scholarship to
Berklee through the African Scholars program.

With support from the Mozambican Ministry of Education for cost of living and loans from friends he
landed in New York in December 2008. It was the middle of winter and the first time Albino had ever
seen snow. ‘I couldn’t get warm,’ he says, ‘I didn’t understand how people could live like that! My
English at the time was also not great, and I had to adjust to a lot of things. However, I had always
wanted an opportunity to improve my musical skills, and when this opportunity came I couldn’t look
back. In a way it was easy to adjust because I found myself in an inspiring environment where
everyone was into music, I could focus on only playing and studying. ‘

At Berklee, he was exposed to a variety of influences, but wanted to go deeper into the roots of jazz
and expand his knowledge of music. He auditioned and was selected to participate in the Berklee
Global Jazz Institute.
But Albino felt the absence of his own Mozambican traditions in his music. With the help of his
mentors, Richard Bona and Lionel Loueke, two of the most prominent African musicians in the
United States of America today, he began to bridge that gap. Today, Albino's music succeeds in
combining many disparate parts into an organic whole, creating a unique sound which incorporates
his Mozambican roots as well as Jazz, R& B and other influences around the world.

Albino Mbie recently graduated from Berklee College with a degree in Music Production &
Engineering and Performance, and a minor in Acoustics and Electronics. His debut album, called
Mozambique Dance, is due to be released July 8th of this year. On the album, which carries 10
original songs, he plays with musicians from Italy, the USA, Palestine and Brazil.

When asked about his future plans he says for the time being he is staying in the US, because of job
opportunities and to broaden his experience. However, he is definitely planning to come back to
Mozambique. ‘I have to transmit the knowledge I gained in the US. Not only about music, but also
about life. ‘

For more information about Albino Mbie and his music go to http://www.albinombie.com/