adminThe single was presented to Tuku at the weekend and first went on air on local radio station Power FM on Monday.
Tuku’s birthday bash was scheduled for last night and his friends from South Africa including Dorothy Masuka, Ringo, Judith Sephuma and Steve Dyer were billed to perform at the party set for the Glamis Arena.
Local acts like Alick Macheso, Sulumani Chimbetu and Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave were also on the line up.
Song For Tuku is jazz throughout with traditional culture based lyrics that celebrate Tuku’s Nzou (elephant) totem in quite a humorous way. Now for the first time, thanks to the song, Tuku’s secret nickname is revealed. He is also known as “Nzourefu”, literally meaning the Tall Elephant. But the song also has a Christian component where it gives praise to God for blessing Tuku with 60 years of life.
Shepherd Mutamba, who is the executive producer of the song and also happens to be Tuku’s publicist, conceived the idea for the composition and worked together with Marova on the theme and lyrical content. Marova then put the composition together and Eve Kawadza provided all vocals. Tafadzwa Marova played bass and Mutsawashe Gudlanga did the drums and percussion.
Mutamba said: “I thought why can’t we do a song for Tuku for his birthday because Tuku also does tributes for others? And I looked around for the artistes whom I considered would give me the jazz feel that I was looking for as the producer and Marova and BlaQberry fitted the bill perfectly”.
Mutamba said Tuku did not even know about the song until Sunday afternoon when he and Marova presented the song to him. “Tuku loved it. He simply glowed and went ‘wow this is nice’,” Mutamba said.
Marova is a music teacher and a founding member of Jazz Invitation with the likes of Sam Mataure and Kelly Rusike and has backed many visiting foreign jazz artistes.
“To do a song for Tuku is an honour and for him to love it is humbling for me. We should acknowledge our legends and celebrate their lives. Tuku is a source of immense inspiration and aspiration,” Marova said.
Online Reporter