The Northern California-based group Tumble weaves the trancey bell tones of the African mbira with beefy guitar riffs and edgy single-reed melodies to create an intricate, hypnotic whole.  Formed in 2014, the trio is  Robert Heirendt on mbira, Sean Kerrigan on guitar, and Randy McKean on tenor saxophone and clarinets. Drawing inspiration from world-meets-free-jazz musics of the groups Oregon, Codona, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and performers/composers such as Wayne Shorter and Thomas Mapfumo, the trio’s intricate compositions combine folkish melodies and driving rhythms with an improvisational sensibility.

Heirendt provides the core of the group’s sound on the mbira, the Zimbabwean instrument similar to the kalimba and sometimes referred to as the thumb piano.  Joined by McKean and Kerrigan, this original incarnation of the band self-released their debut CD Music for Trio in 2015.  Tumble’s Cure-All debut, Waves, was recorded during bassist Bill Douglass’s three-year tenure with the band (2015 to 2018). Bassist and percussionist Rob Holland was a member of Tumble from 2019 to 2022.  Tumble returned to the trio format in 2023.  Dragonfly, their third release of original compositions and arrangements, will be released by Cure-All Records in October 2024 .