Comrade Chinx – Ngorimba (1988)

After fronting the successful band Ilanga, Comrade Chinx went solo for a short time before fading out of Zimbabwe's music scene, as I wrote about when I posted his Early Hits lp a couple of years ago. Ngorimba is powered by dual mbiras, played by Robert and Thomas Ndadziira, as well as a thumping bass line. The title track was a hit, and it is indeed one of the nicest chimurenga songs I have heard. Chinx was motivated by zest for the revolution, and his choral roots and political fervor give every song earnest energy. I think the whole album is great, and I hope it positively powers your weekend.

Enjoy!

Kasongo Band - Gejo (1990)

Here is another splendid recording of chimurenga from Zimbabwe's golden treasure chest. The Kasongo Band formed in exile in Tanzania during the liberation war, where other East and Central African music styles influenced their music. During an extended guitar break in the last song, for example, a band member invokes the Congolese animation "kwassa kwassa." While the harmonious singing is solid throughout this album, it's the intertwined guitars that propel the music at breakneck speed, making it impossible not to kwassa kwassa.

The band name on the back of the sleeve is Knowledge Kunenyathi and Kassongo Band, highlighting a leader of the band who struck out on his own shortly after this record was cut. I suggest putting it into your library, turning it up loud, and then going to the useful Music of Zimbabwe site for a little more information about the band.

Enjoy!

Jonah Moyo & Devera Nqwena - Taxi Driver (1987)

During the peak popularity of the Bhundu Boys, and a few years before the band and his own personal delamination began, Biggie Tembo lent his endorsement to this British production of Jonah Moyo & Devera Ngwena. "If there was any group to be where we the Bhundus are, then I would look no further than Devera Ngwena," Biggie proclaims on the back of this album. Unfortunately the band did not achieve the ephemeral international fame of the Bhundus, but its prolific output of infectious dance music made it very popular in Zimbabwe. In 2011 I posted one of Devera Ngwena's later records here.

I'm not sure if this record is a reissue of a 1985 Zimbabwe release, or if it also collects various hits like "Too Cheap" from earlier records. In any case this was a blistering international release, and if you missed it then, you can enjoy it now.





P.S. I processed this sound file on the road and attached the front and back record sleeve images from discogs. If you would like higher resolution scans, email me.

Oliver Mtukudzi - Zvauya Sei? (1986)

Oliver Mtukudzi's rich voice and unique musical style have made him popular throughout the world. "Tuku Music" draws from Shona, Ndebele and South African roots that made it broadly accessible. Wikipedia lists fifty-five albums in Mtukudzi's discography, and many of those from the second half of his career were international CD releases. With his tireless touring and prolific song writing, he became a darling of the world music industry. For awhile the CDs came so frequently that each one seemed routine.

This record is from relatively early in Tuku's career, when his popularity in Zimbabwe was ascendant. I prefer it to some of the later, slicker releases, though the intimately familiar sound is essentially the same. By the way, earlier I posted a great live set from Tuka here.

Enjoy!

Zvishavane Sounds - Mutongi Gava (1987)

One of the many ephemeral Zimbabwean bands, Zvishavane Sounds sprouted in a mining community with this powerful album featuring the title track hit. Led by Joseph Mutero, this band is a great example of the high energy guitar music paired with great singing that characterized Zimbabwean pop music of the era. This is one of a pile of records I collected in Zimbabwe in early 1991, one of my favorites. I could discover little about this band apart from an interesting insight, including the names of the musicians, here.

Enjoy!

P.S. Sorry for the absence. After being away from home for a while unexpectedly, we'll get back on track with a few from Zimbabwe. And thanks to Tony, for giving me a more focussed date! I confirmed it with the record label when I dug it out.

Viva! Zimbabwe - Dance Music From Zimbabwe (1984)

Released a few years after the overthrow of the apartheid Rhodesian government, this compilation celebrated independence and the vibrant music that surrounded it. First released in Britain by Earthworks, it also introduced Zimbabwe's torrid, guitar-driven dance music to the world.

Many of the groups on this record became internationally successful and famous, including The Four Brothers, Devera Ngwena Jazz Band, and especially Thomas Mapfumo. There also are treats from Nyami Nyami Sound, New Black Montana, James Chimombe, and Super Sounds. A well-traveled record, it took a while to get the sound where I like it. It works. . .

Enjoy!

Oliver Mutukudzi - Live at Sakubva Concert (1989)

One of the legendary Zimbabwean musicians who continues to perform into his fourth career decade, Oliver Mutukudzi recorded this milestone in Sakubva Stadium in Mutare, on 29 April 1989. Not only was this his first live recording, it also is claimed to be the first live pop recording done in Zimbabwe.

Despite some significant vinyl defects, I value this album especially for Tuku's exuberance. Recorded when great optimism remained in the country, ten years after the overthrow of Rhodesia's post-colonial, racist government, a listener can tell the audience and musicians connected for an unforgettable night. The breadth of Mutukudzi's unique style is evident in these twelve songs, drawing from Shona and Ndebele traditional, chimurenga, and South African pop influences.

Tuku's expressive baritone is backed by his band Black Spirits, composed at the time by: Robert Mutukudzi (Keyboard), Moses Mullah (Lead guitar), Job Mteswa (Rhythm guitar), James Austin (Drums), Sam Mtowa (Drums/vocals), Joseph Alphas (Bass guitar), Basil Phiri (Sax) and Picky Kasamba (Vocals). The live recording itself is good, and hopefully someday it will be rescued from master tapes and made available on a better medium than this inferior vinyl. The album has a generous two records that I processed as one, but divided into two for smaller downloads.

Enjoy Part 1 and Part 2!

Four Brothers - Rudo Chete (1988)

The holidays are over, the new year is begun, and the environmental challenges continue with unrelenting subzero temperatures. So let's go to Zimbabwe for some classic music from a premier dance band!

Led by Thomas Mapfumo's nephew, Marshall Munhumumwe, Four Brothers became one of Zimbabwe's most successful and famous dance bands. Fusing chimurenga guitar styles with rumba drive, the band's hits are on nearly every compilation of Zimbabwean pop music. BBC deejay John Peel enthusiastically called them "the best live band in the world," after seeing them play.

Light, lightning-fast guitars dance around Munhumumwe's steady drumming, while his singing floats over all. This album was released just as the band followed the Bhundu Boys' trail to the UK and achieved international fame. Four Brothers remained extremely popular in Zimbabwe for two decades, until a car crash-induced stroke ended Munhumumwe's career in 1997. Caught midway through a prolific career, this album sparkles. I hope it lightens up your new year.

Enjoy!

11 Jan: While researching something else, I came across a recent article by Fred Zindl that discusses the fate of the Four Brothers and their families. Tragic, and all too common for the vast majority of African musicians exploited and then discarded by the music industry.

James Chimombe and the Huchi Band - Jemedza (1990)

One of Zimbabwe's great singers and guitarists had a short-lived career, but one that left a permanent legacy in the country. In his 39 years James Chimombe passed through several bands, including Thomas Mapfumo's formative Acid Band, before developing into a headliner himself with the Ocean City Band.

Chimombe was a passionate singer, and this final album of his career showcases his fine voice as well as his light-fingered guitar style. While one can hear similarities to Mapfumo's chimurenga, there also are also strands of rumba as well as echoes from Kenya and South Africa.

I usually do not draw from text on a record sleeve, but in small print on this one is a great summary and touching tribute to this musician that I cannot surpass:

On Tuesday 23rd October at only 39 years old James Chimombe passed away having established himself as one of the most professional and dedicated musicians in Zimbabwe. Not only a dedicated musician, James was also a director of Z.I.M.R.A. and a staunch supporter of the College Of Music's Ethnomusicology Program.

James was born in Chivhu in 1951,  but grew up and was educated in Highfield Harare. Whilst in his teens he joined the Pop Settlers as lead vocalist, singing cover versions of popular songs. From Pop Settlers James progressed to the Harare Mambos and then to Thomas Mapfumo's Acid Band in the early seventies, playing lead guitar. The mid-seventies saw James playing with O.K. Success Band and in 1983, James Chimombe joined the Ocean City Band. With them, as lead vocalist and guitarist, the O.C.B. had several hit singles and albums. . . In 1988 James made his final move, forming his own group called 'Huchi Band.' Together they released several singles, and their debut album Zvaitika released in November 1989.

Jemedza is the last album to be completed before James' death, and long-time friend and producer Tymon Mabeleka believes that songs included here are of particular significance as James seemed to know that death was imminent and there are many references to the ancestral homes of the spirits.

Jemedza is a wonderful tribute to a man who dedicated his life to music — creating it, playing it and teaching it. James Chimombe was a quiet, considerate and dedicated person. His music will live on in our hearts forever. 

Indeed. This is a very nice album.

Enjoy!

 

Marxist Brothers - Mwana Wedangwe (1983)

The Marxist Brothers were one of the leading rhumba bands in Zimbabwe during the 1980s, a group of four Chimbetu brothers. I believe this is the first Marxist Brothers album, recorded in the fervor of revolutionary optimism that filled the country at that time. One of the tracks on this record would become the title track of the equally upbeat Goodbye Sandra compilation from 1988.

Despite suffering from a terrible pressing that especially mars the first tracks on both sides (and the last on the second!), this album sparkles with bright guitars and lovely harmonic singing from Naison and Simon Chimbetu. A couple of the slightly slower songs, such as "Ndiri Wenhano" and "Denda," are wonderful. Simon would split from the band in the late 80s to become a leading rhumba star in the country, but most of the band continued to back him as Orchestra Dendera Kings throughout the 1990s. In fact even on this early album the band's persistent split personality was evident, as the record label says Marxist Brothers (Orch Dendera Kings).

There are a few more Chimbetu recordings coming up here, but at a time when the global capitalist system is in crisis, here is a dose of Marxist rhythms to enlighten the situation.

Enjoy!

Nyami Nyami Sounds - Kwira Mudenga (1986)

Time to dip into Zimbabwe gold again for this fine album from Nyami Nyami Sounds, a band from northern Zimbabwe named for a Shona river god. The records opens with the strong chimurenga cut, "Ndiani Apisa Moto," that was collected on the 1990 Zimbabwe Frontline: Spirit of the Eagle compilation, and it ends with a song more akin to jit. In between are five other strong songs featuring cycling, intertwined guitar lines, thumping drums and lovely, harmonious vocals. Recorded at the venerable Shed Studios, this one is a keeper.

Enjoy!

Paul Matavire - Doctor Love Volume Two (1990)

When I entered the tiny record shop in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, in early 1991, the sound system pumped out a catchy tune that tipped slightly towards disco. It was "Dhindindi Fulltime," the current hit by Paul Matavire, backed by the Jairos Jiri Band. Matavire was a blind performer who became very popular throughout the country during the late '80s because of his fine singing and pointed, and sometimes humorous, songs. He generated some controversy for personal behavior, in the process, including rape charges. Like many Zimbabwean musicians, Matavire died young, leaving a fine legacy of music behind. This album is an excellent sample of it, with diverse songs including one slow one for tight dancing. It also has the closing reggae-chimurenga rocker "Pamberi Navajiri," which was collected on the classic Zimbabwe compilation, Take Cover!.

Enjoy!

Khiama Boys - Kubva Kure (1990)

The Khiama Boys surfaced in 1988 and produced a series of albums throughout the next decade plus. Music built on energetic, harmonic singing, thumping beats and fast guitars, it reminds me of Bhundu Boys at their peak. No credits are given for the musicians, and as this recording took place as the band was going through some personnel changes, it is impossible for me to name them. The Music of Zimbabwe page has a brief discussion of the band, as well as a discography, and that may give some clues. At least four CDs were available for awhile, through Stern's, but they appear to be out-of-print now.

I am really enjoying my temporary immersion in Zimbabwe's dynamic music. There will be a few more records coming your way soon, but I recommend you snag this excellent, rare recording. Now.

Enjoy!

John Chibadura & The Tembo Brothers - Rugare (1988)

Continuing to explore the trove of records I picked up in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, in 1991, here is a solid album from John Chibadura & The Tembo Brothers. This band was the most successful proponent of sunguru music, a cross between rhumba and jit jive that likewise relies on blisteringly fast, intertwined guitars. Chibadura was an excellent guitarist and charismatic performer who sang of working class situations and issues. He released dozens of hit albums before his death in 1999 at the age of 42.

Enjoy!

Ephat Mujuru & The Spirit of the People - Mbavaira (1983)

Ephat Mujuru was a virtuoso on the mbira thumb piano central to Zimbabwean traditional music. Through a prolific career based in both Zimbabwe and the U. S., Mujuru had a tremendous impact through his recordings and many performances, as well as his extensive teaching of his art. Tragically he died unexpected ten years ago, at the young age of fifty-one.

This is one of several records cut by Ephat Mujuru in Zimbabwe during his tenure as a student in the U.S. in the '80s. It is incredibly short, containing four songs that could fit on one side of an LP, but it is a welcome uplifting listen for these tumultuous times. May it bring a bit of peace to you this weekend, wherever you are.

Enjoy!

Jonah Moyo & Devera Nqwena - Ndabvezera (1990)

Jonah Moyo & Dvera Ngwena have to be one of the most dynamic bands from Zimbabwe. Their fusion of Congolese rumba with traditional mbira rhythms proved to be a potent mix that became known as rhumbira. It kept the band at the peak of popularity for decades, in Zimbabwe, through a plethora of albums. Unfortunately, as is all too common, this stellar band had limited success internationally, and music did not translate into wealth for the band members.

For a decent biography of the band, and a link to possible recordings still available to purchase, you can go to the Music of Zimbabwe site. Explore it while you listen to this uplifting record.

Enjoy!

P.S. Although on the road, I've figured out how to post a trickle over the next week or so. Enjoy. . .

Hits of Zimbabwe - Independence Special '85

Released a mere five years after the liberation of Zimbabwe, this compilation exudes the optimism of a nation emerging from domination. Beginning with a strong song by Thomas Mapfumo, this set includes many less-known bands including John Kazadi & The Desh Band, Ujamaa Jazz Band, Super Sounds and New Hard Spirits. Devera Ngwena Jazz Band has one song to lead off the second side, and there are "institutional" cuts from a union and a militia group. Songs range from chimurenga to choral, with even the echo of Queen in the Pied Piper's "We Go Say."

There have been several good CD compilations of Zimbabwean music, and some are still available online. This collection, direct from Zimbabwe, is equal to any.

Enjoy!

Zimbabwe Cha Cha Kings - Vimbiso (1989)

Here is a wonderful album for you, to start off a new week. Zimbabwe Cha Cha Kings were one of the many jit bands that surfaced in the late '80s, at a time when things were infinitely more optimistic in Zimbabwe. Serendipity alone sent the Bhundu Boys to international stardom, while this band and others were next-to-ignored or confined to compilations.

The Cha Cha Kings actually had a live set on BBC radio, for John Peel's show in 1992, but that was not enough to launch global success. They were collected on the excellent Roots Rock Guitar Party - Zimbabwe Frontline Volume 3, which is still available on CD. Yet that song is from a later recording than that offered today. If you enjoy intertwined guitars, nimble bass and sweet singing, look no further!

Enjoy!

Comrade Chinx – Early Hits (1990)

Dickson Chingaira, whose stage name is Comrade Chinx, was a chimurenga singer during the struggle for liberation. After working with Andy Brown in the short-lived band Ilanga, Chinx began a solo career before entering the services of Robert Mugabe as a propaganda worker. Later years have not been so fortunate for the Comrade. His mansion was torn down in 2005, a story you can read about here, and according to this sad article from last year in The Standard, he is "is struggling to make ends meet."

From choral and chimurenga roots, Chinx evolved an unique sound, keyboard-driven chimurenga with a healthy dose of cheesy pop. Listening to this record, I can picture myself drinking beer in a shabeen among an audience of three. Early Hits does contain the fine, rocking song, Zvikomborero Kusimba, in both studio and live recordings, and it's worth the price of admission. The other Chinx album I have, Ngorimba, used to be found on the inimitable Global Groove site, but now there is a better dub on my site: here. That album has a much more traditional chimurenga sound than the one I offer today.

Enjoy!