Mwalimu Express Radio Show presented by Rita Ray & Max Reinhardt

The show was born in September 2020, in the time of lockdown, when their live event had to go into storage for the duration. It’s a showcase of music from all over the Motherland. Based on the original vision of our live event.

Each month they feature music and a guest from a different African country. Guests have included Dele Sosimi, BREIS, Namvula, Spoek Mathambo and Blick Bassy. 

Mwalimu Express started life as a regular event created in 1997 by DJs Rita Ray and Max Reinhardt. The weekly sessions were based at the Bread and Roses pub in Clapham, blending live music, DJ’s, food and even board games, particularly Oware – a family friendly Afrocentric Meeting House. 

The vision was of a mythical train travelling the African continent and each week the food and the music came from a different African country. 

In 2000 they introduced a film programme, curated by the ScreenStation Collective, a mix of short films, documentaries and features.

Around 2010 they moved to Rich Mix at the top of Brick Lane, and in the decade up till lockdown, Mwalimu Express built a loyal following of all ages with its now monthly sessions featuring live music, DJ sets, films, dance workshops, market stalls, street food, a bar and a pop-up library. 

www.mwalimuxpress.com