Online Reporter
Prince Mushawevato
FROM the moment Louis Mhlanga and his band touched down at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, Bulawayo was engulfed in a vibrant jazz vibe.
Mhlanga himself could not contain his excitement.
How could he, when the reality of playing in front of his home crowd with his original full band — a dream deferred for three decades — was finally coming to fruition?
“Wow! This is it; we are finally here,” Mhlanga remarked as he passed through the international arrivals gate a day before the first gig.
“I have waited for this moment for so long. I have played in different parts of the world, but nothing beats performing in front of your own people. This is something truly special for me.”
The South Africa-based veteran jazz artiste arrived for the Bulawayo and Harare gigs well-prepared, a clear sign that this was an event he had longed for.
The two-day jazz festival he headlined served as a precursor to the Heroes Holiday celebrations and marked the official launch of the Moving Jazz Café concept.
The initiative is powered by Jazz 105 Promotions, led by Josh “Big Josh” Hozheri, in partnership with Mehluli “Taz” Moyo of Tracy Mason Media.
The first event, a soulful affair, was held on August 8 at Kings Kraal in Bulawayo, with the second being hosted the following day at Centurion Pub & Grill in Harare.
It was during the lead-up, the shows themselves and the aftermath that this writer had a rare opportunity to be up-close with the international jazz maestro and his crew.
As Mhlanga’s group landed in Bulawayo, around midday, they were already geared up for action. Taz, who greeted them at the airport, outlined their itinerary.
They were supposed to check into their guesthouse before heading to a top eatery, which was also the gig venue, for lunch. However, Mhlanga’s mind was elsewhere.
Accommodation and food were far from his top priorities at that moment.
“We can sort food and accommodation issues later. What we need right now is to go for rehearsals; I hope that has already been arranged,” the soft-spoken Mhlanga said to Taz.
The promoter quickly assured the visiting crew that everything was in place.
After a gentle “struggle”, he eventually convinced them to check in and have lunch before their rehearsals.
During their first group meal in Zimbabwe, the unique personalities of the band members truly shone through.
Mhlanga, the band leader, is reserved, but highly receptive when engaged in conversation. He is well-versed in a variety of topics, but loves to talk mostly about music, his true passion. Randal Skippers, the keyboardist, is a man of quiet focus, often glued to his phone.
Yet this did not disconnect him from the world around him.
As he seemingly minded his own business, he would periodically contribute to discussions, often unleashing a timely, side-splitting joke that had everyone in stitches.
The group’s bassist, Michael Phillips, is much like Skippers — often on his phone and seemingly reserved.
However, one thing was certain; he was particularly vocal about a lack of internet connectivity. Poor or lost Wi-Fi was the one thing that would get him agitated, talking animatedly.
On stage, however, Phillips literally booms with energy, just like his bass guitar. He is the one who often bellows instructions to sound engineers, stage managers and fellow band members. Among the crew, though, is Basi Mahlasela, an affable veteran artiste and percussion player who is arguably the heart and soul of the group. His great sense of humour is unmatched.
For every moment he encounters, Mahlasela has a humorous story to tell and he can easily connect with anyone he meets.
As they tucked into their food at the lunch venue, it was not long before Mahlasela declared: “This is some good food. I do not know why people say bad things about this country.”
As he continued to do justice to his generous portion of sirloin steak and chips, he added with a playful twinkle in his eye: “Maybe they are right to say bad things, because this is punishment in the form of food. The food is so plentiful and nice, but I do not think I can finish it . . . I did not bring my dog with me, but I think I still need a doggy bag; I will be the dog when I get to my room.”
When the hosts told him that he would be getting “more good food” when done with the afternoon rehearsals, he comically rolled his eyes and feigned a collapse before exclaiming: “Do you still want us to perform tomorrow or have we come for a food expedition?”
Skippers weighed in, adding: “You can only say bad things about Zimbabwe before visiting. This country is not bad like they say out there.”
The lunch with Mhlanga and his group, which also included the free-spirited drummer Sam Mataure, was an absorbing experience. Mataure easily complemented Mahlasela’s humour, periodically dropping jaw-dropping funny lines.
After feasting, the group went for rehearsals just after 2pm, a practice session that would last for four solid hours.
One of the onlookers asked why a group that has played together for decades would rehearse for so long.
“I always want to do better than the previous day. Rehearsals mean a lot to me; I value them. They help me improve my game on each occasion. Besides, we need to improve our interaction on set and this is the best way to make it happen,” said Mahlasela.
The band leader also shared similar sentiments. “Every gig is a new experience. Complacency is a recipe for disaster. Fans should never be taken for granted, hence the need to perfect and improve the art all the time,” added Mhlanga.
During the practice session, the band members were incredibly serious and in sync with one another. At some instances, the situation was so tense you might have assumed it could degenerate into a fistfight. But it was just the intensity of their creative process.
The Bulawayo show was a bit low-key, likely due to the freezing temperatures. However, a quality crowd was still attracted and was treated to a classy jazz show. Mataure celebrated his 57th birthday during the gig.
The gifted drummer thanked the Lord for saving him from a life-threatening stroke in 2019. Mhlanga shared the stage with Gog’ Bekezela, the legendary Hudson Simbarashe and Vuyo Brown, who all delivered unforgettable performances.
The venue was designed to international standards and sponsors battled for supremacy with their classy marketing antics.
“We are happy to have partnered with this event,” said Dumisani Mhlanga, the Ingwebu Breweries managing director. “What we are witnessing is a clear testimony that jazz music has good followers, big spenders, but they have been deprived of such extravaganzas over the years.
“This is the beginning of a good working relationship. We hope to partner with the Moving Jazz Café in their future events.
“We would love to see an event like this take place again here in Bulawayo, perhaps even in a month’s time. Our support for them will also extend to other areas, just as we have done in Harare.”
Jazz 105 Promotions founder and director Hozheri was involved in a serious accident a few days before the event. However, this did not dampen the mood or the overall jazz experience. Jazz lovers came to support the movement but, more importantly, to stand in solidarity with the injured “Big Josh”.
Fellow promoters Partson “Chipaz” Chimbodza and Tich Mharadze, of Kadoma Odyssey, provided rare support to their colleague.
Chipaz even assisted in facilitating the paperwork for the visiting South African group, which Hozheri had yet to finalise at the time of his unfortunate accident.
And then there was Taz, who literally worked around the clock, travelling to Bulawayo and back to Harare, to ensure everything went smoothly.
The Harare show, held on a day with better weather conditions, was a resounding success — a full house. Besides, Mhlanga, Victor Kunonga, Prudence Katomeni-Mbofana and Jabavu Drive were in their element, treating the diverse racial crowd to an unforgettable night of jazz.
Hozheri graced the Harare show, though he had to have his suction machine on him, which had to be connected to power at all times. He had initially planned to travel to Bulawayo, but was advised against it by his medical team, which continues to closely monitor his recovery.
Dr Rebecca Chisamba capped the night in Harare when she joined Mhlanga on stage for the track “Distant Lover”, which serves as the theme song for her “Mai Chisamba Show”.
The revered social commentator, accompanied by her husband, Baba Chisamba, mesmerised the crowd with her sleek dance moves as Mhlanga played.
The song was then briefly paused to allow her to present an achievement gong to Mhlanga in his honour.
“I would like to thank my brother Louis, Hozheri and everyone here for this lovely event.
“Many people now refer to the song ‘Distant Lover’ as ‘Mai Chisamba’ because it is our theme track. I would like to thank Louis Mhlanga for the song; it has become a part of us,” said Dr Chisamba.
As Mhlanga left the country for his Mzansi base, he shared a final, inspiring thought: “I am working with a number of young and upcoming jazz artistes, hand-holding them to create a future jazz brigade. I plan on setting up a centre in Zimbabwe where I will come and record young jazz artistes.”
