Top Left: Enchore! Enchore! -part of spectators at the MSU Lunh Time Mbira Concert
Top Right-Jeff Warara, organiser of the event.
Bottom Right: HEADS DOWN, THUMBS UP. . . Strictly mbira Business- from left: Chimukuyu, Jeff, Watida and Tendai.
Bottom left-Get Down . . . Godfrey Simango goes through his act
The Hunger Square, notorious for its empty stomach tag, assumed the status of The Book Café as the Midlands State University (MSU) Music and Musicology band put up an electrifying and enthralling performance, belting out gems that had a natural flair during the Mbira Lunch Concert held recently.
The band, starring, unplugged, the likes of Jeff “Vhirirengoro” Warara, Phillip Chimukuyu and Watida Chikondo, among others, was a powder keg of vibes as they thumped the mbira (thumb piano). The mbira beat soothed strained senses, massaged tense muscles as it bored into the tedium of books, impending assignment deadlines and tensions of everyday college life, pummeling all the vestiges of monotony into submission. As the mbira vibrated under the coaxing of skillful fingers, twanging in its meek, but decisive metallic sound, students flocked to the summons of its decibels, a priceless melody that even birds would take time to listen to.
The concert, which was for free, the lush green grass, the open airs setting, coupled with the conspicuous absence of the Public Address System (PA System), beautifully connived to bestow a rare, rustic elegance upon the event. This was a cultural product in its uncommodified nature, whereby all partake because of real enjoyment, without the interfering and artificial pleasure motivated by the resolve to unlock monetary value. A crowd of around two hundred students who had come to witness the event, clapped hands to the beat, enjoying every second of the performance.
But it is the antics of lead vocalist and performer, Godfrey Simango that will be talked about for years to come. While some would point at master of the “Snake secretary dance”, Hosea “Kwachu Kwachu” Chipanga as the best sole singer and dancer, Simango merely needs to contend with a couple of rungs for him to attain such prowess. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27802508@N02/?saved=1 Wielding a knobkerrie, and lithely alternating between dance and vocals, he sang Nhemamusasa. Nhemamusasa is a powerful vibe by mbira legend, Chiwoniso “Sister Chi” Maraire, and when she performed the song at the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) 2007, she had even the white audience members chanting “Nhemamusasa” after her, and they literally refused her permission to leave the stage. With backing vocals equal to the task, featuring the likes of Lindsay Mhlanga, Chiedza Makowe, Sthabile Mahubaba, Tendai Mlambo and Rumbi Rundazha, among others, the band stitched up a memorable act.
Then came the song folk song Chemutengure. The band executed a virtuoso perfomance that would have reminded one of Chimurenga music and mbira icon, Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo, who is dubbed “Lion of Southern Africa”, which attracted audience members to take to the dance floor with reckless abandon. Slideshow, check http://www.flickr.com/photos/27802508@N02/show/ Next was the drum and mbira rendition of the song “Kumasowe” by Cephas “Motomuzhinji” Mashakada, which, in the name of justice, Mashakada should be let to choose his preference between the former and his own guitar version. This song had one of the senior members of the library staff, Mrs Faith Munyama, on her feet and she later acknowledged that “the mbira beat was irresistible”.
As emotions lightened, spectators turned actors as audience members also took to the dance floor, exhibiting such rare energy and grace, which stamped the notion that the country is still in touch with its tradition, especially with undergraduate populace, who will soon occupy higher echelons in the socio-economic and political spheres of the country. And this reporter, in trying to capture the event on camera, faced formidable competition as he had to jostle with students wielding mobile phones with inbuilt cameras as they ensured that the precious event would attain immortality.
Mawere Kongonya, Musango Ndodzungaira and Taireva followed in quick succession, and Simango turned villain at announcing that the lunch session was over as many would have wanted it to go into the night. Organiser of the event, Jeffinias Warara, a fourth year student, hailed the event as a success.
“What you have just witnessed is the true mbira vibe in its natural element, no PA System. Turnout was good, and as the Music and Musicology Department at MSU, we will always strive to keep the University community well entertained,” the prolific mbira player said, flashing one of his bright smiles.
By Abel Dzobo
edzaidzobo@yahoo.com
The band, starring, unplugged, the likes of Jeff “Vhirirengoro” Warara, Phillip Chimukuyu and Watida Chikondo, among others, was a powder keg of vibes as they thumped the mbira (thumb piano). The mbira beat soothed strained senses, massaged tense muscles as it bored into the tedium of books, impending assignment deadlines and tensions of everyday college life, pummeling all the vestiges of monotony into submission. As the mbira vibrated under the coaxing of skillful fingers, twanging in its meek, but decisive metallic sound, students flocked to the summons of its decibels, a priceless melody that even birds would take time to listen to.
The concert, which was for free, the lush green grass, the open airs setting, coupled with the conspicuous absence of the Public Address System (PA System), beautifully connived to bestow a rare, rustic elegance upon the event. This was a cultural product in its uncommodified nature, whereby all partake because of real enjoyment, without the interfering and artificial pleasure motivated by the resolve to unlock monetary value. A crowd of around two hundred students who had come to witness the event, clapped hands to the beat, enjoying every second of the performance.
But it is the antics of lead vocalist and performer, Godfrey Simango that will be talked about for years to come. While some would point at master of the “Snake secretary dance”, Hosea “Kwachu Kwachu” Chipanga as the best sole singer and dancer, Simango merely needs to contend with a couple of rungs for him to attain such prowess. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27802508@N02/?saved=1 Wielding a knobkerrie, and lithely alternating between dance and vocals, he sang Nhemamusasa. Nhemamusasa is a powerful vibe by mbira legend, Chiwoniso “Sister Chi” Maraire, and when she performed the song at the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) 2007, she had even the white audience members chanting “Nhemamusasa” after her, and they literally refused her permission to leave the stage. With backing vocals equal to the task, featuring the likes of Lindsay Mhlanga, Chiedza Makowe, Sthabile Mahubaba, Tendai Mlambo and Rumbi Rundazha, among others, the band stitched up a memorable act.
Then came the song folk song Chemutengure. The band executed a virtuoso perfomance that would have reminded one of Chimurenga music and mbira icon, Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo, who is dubbed “Lion of Southern Africa”, which attracted audience members to take to the dance floor with reckless abandon. Slideshow, check http://www.flickr.com/photos/27802508@N02/show/ Next was the drum and mbira rendition of the song “Kumasowe” by Cephas “Motomuzhinji” Mashakada, which, in the name of justice, Mashakada should be let to choose his preference between the former and his own guitar version. This song had one of the senior members of the library staff, Mrs Faith Munyama, on her feet and she later acknowledged that “the mbira beat was irresistible”.
As emotions lightened, spectators turned actors as audience members also took to the dance floor, exhibiting such rare energy and grace, which stamped the notion that the country is still in touch with its tradition, especially with undergraduate populace, who will soon occupy higher echelons in the socio-economic and political spheres of the country. And this reporter, in trying to capture the event on camera, faced formidable competition as he had to jostle with students wielding mobile phones with inbuilt cameras as they ensured that the precious event would attain immortality.
Mawere Kongonya, Musango Ndodzungaira and Taireva followed in quick succession, and Simango turned villain at announcing that the lunch session was over as many would have wanted it to go into the night. Organiser of the event, Jeffinias Warara, a fourth year student, hailed the event as a success.
“What you have just witnessed is the true mbira vibe in its natural element, no PA System. Turnout was good, and as the Music and Musicology Department at MSU, we will always strive to keep the University community well entertained,” the prolific mbira player said, flashing one of his bright smiles.
By Abel Dzobo
edzaidzobo@yahoo.com
1 comment:
You have done justice by demystifying the belief, by modern Zimbabwe, that Mbira is archaic. It should be noted that Mbira remains Zimbabwe and Africa’s number one instrument, thus the need to promote it through positive reporting.
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