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Liberty Dube
Entertainment Correspondent
ONE of Mutare’s longest serving musicians, Brian Nhanhanga who played with a number of local bands nurtured many before relocating to Harare a few years ago.
He is now based in Mabvuku where he is also a producer.
The versatile guitarist feels indebted to the love, care and support he received in Mutare during the formative years of his career that is now blooming.
Nhanhanga (48), who is the leader of Afro-jazz group, Too Open, popularly known for performing own compositions as well as cover songs, said he intends to work with upcoming reggae artistes in Mutare as he has produced various live reggae riddims that may catapult aspiring reggae artistes to stardom.
One of the major highlights of his career was when he played with Ragga Manyika outfit, Assegai Crew, from 1994 to 1996, and recorded the hit album, Zvese Mari, which contains the plug track, Mai Bhoyi.
“I featured as a guitarist on that album. It was a great time working with those guys. It was a group of talented young guys and the late Stobart Chidikano was a very hard working brother, and through the help of Raymond Singh, our manager that time, we used to do rehearsals from Tuesday to Thursday from 10am till 5pm.
“It was like a full time job. It was a great experience. I am still in the game, but I am on a mission to nurture reggae music artistes in Mutare. I am working as a music producer and I have reggae riddims that I want to produce for Mutare artistes. Mutare will forever be in my heart because it is my home.
“I know my efforts to nurture them and feature them on my riddims will pay off. I believe Mutare has great talents,” said Nhanhanga.
He started playing a guitar when he was seven years old, being taught by his father who was then playing with Sounds of The Hard Workers Band.
They played a variety of music. He then played with Hosiah Chipanga from 1993 to 1994 before working with Tendai Mupfurutsa for one year.
He also worked with Jonah Mutuma for one year before he became his own man and formed Too Open in 1998.
Born in Mutare’s oldest ghetto of Sakubva’s New Chisamba section, Nhanhanga became popular after releasing the chartbuster, Matida Hostel, on the album Zororo.
The group went on to release other albums such as Resurrection and Chiratidzo, among others.
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