Albino Mbie

Albino Mbie is a multi-award–winning musician, guitarist, singer, composer, sound engineer, music producer, and Berklee College of Music professor.

He was born in Kumakwane District, Bairro George Dimitrov, well-known as Benfica, in the suburbs of Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, a country in Southern Africa known for its rich musical and cultural heritage. Fueled by the resourcefulness and determination that have always characterized Mozambicans, he built his first guitar at age 15 from a five-liter can of oil, scrap wood, and strings made from electrical cords. He moved to the U.S. to attend Berklee in 2009, being among the first Africans awarded a full-tuition scholarship via the Berklee African Scholars Program. In 2013, he graduated with a dual major in music production and engineering and guitar performance with dual minors in acoustics and electronics. Since then, he has shared his Mozambican roots—music, dance, culture, and native languages enriched by the experience of living and studying in the U.S.—with the rest of the world. During these years, he learned to combine rhythmic patterns and musical concepts to create a unique marrabenta, Afro-pop, and Mozambican jazz sound.

His passion for travel, discovery, experimentation, and being an active touring musician has allowed him to share the stage with godfathers of American jazz such as Wayne Shorter, Joe Lovano, John Patitucci, and more, as well as African giants such as Richard Bona, Jimmy Dludlu, Mulatu Astatke, and many more.