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On Saturday they proved as much with a stellar performance as they put their seal on celebrations to mark the Book Cafe’s first anniversary since its relocation to its new premises along Samora Machel Avenue.
First on stage was mbira princess Hope Masike, who is still basking in the glory of scooping the National Arts Merit Award for Best Female Musician. Looking splendid in a cream sequinned skirt that shimmered under the stage lights and black sleeveless top, Masike was at her bubbly best.
Her playlist revolved around four themes — love (“Ndoita Sei?”,) women’s empowerment (“Inyoni”, “Musha Mukadzi”), gender based violence (“Ndoenda Zvangu”) and traditional folklore (“Mapfunde”, Chamuningwa” and Ndire Ndire”).
“Grab the bull by the horns” is the message in “Ndoita Sei?” in which she chronicles the dilemma of a love-struck woman who is secretly in love with a man whose affections lie elsewhere. “Ukanyara haugwaze (Be a go-getter), she tells her fellow women.
“Inyoni” (a bird) is all about women flying high and spreading their wings whatever the field while “Mapfunde”, “Chamuningwa” and “Ndire Ndire” are steeped in folklore.
A week after their maiden appearance at the Harare International Conference Centre where they warmed the stage for South African songbird Zahara, afro-fusion group Mokoomba were again in fine form.
The six-member group announced their arrival on the world stage in a rather modest way, first teaming up after church sessions to sing in their local languages.
In 2008, Mokoomba won the Music Crossroads Inter-Regional Festival in Malawi competing with other young bands from Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Their music, which is a fusion of traditional Tonga stories and rhythms with sungura, rhumba, funk, reggae, has been
described variously as “different”, “fresh” and “exciting”.
Although few in the audience understood the lyrics, they could not resist dancing along to plug tracks such as “Masangango”, “Mangongo”, “Mwile”, “Yombe, “Mvula” and “Welelye” from their two albums to date —“Kweseka (Drifting Ahead) and “Rising Tide”.
While some preferred to tap their feet while sipping their drinks, others opted for the “Zora Butter” routine.
It’s near impossible to write about Mokoomba without mentioning lead vocalist Mathias Muzaza. He can vary his voice to sound like rhumba king Kofi Olomide one minute and Ladysmith Black Mambazo the next.
Afro-jazz maestro Victor Kunonga put the icing on the Book Café’s birthday cake with a virtuoso performance anchored by popular tracks such as “Tinoda Kushanda”, “Uyo”, “Ndanyengetedzwa naAmai”, “Usacheme”, “Zvaramba”, “Kufa Kwemurume (Kubuda Hura)”, “Kuenda Mbire” and “Hatinete” on which he was joined by Masike and Mokoomba.
As they bid their fans farewell with “Hatinete”, Kunonga, Masike and Mokoomba assured fans of their commitment to continue entertaining them while urging the Book Café to keep up its excellent work of uplifting local talent.
Online Reporter