Charambas to fish in UK

Arts Correspondent
One of Zimbabwe’s celebrated gospel musicians, Pastor Charles Charamba, will celebrate his graduation with his fans in the Diaspora during his week-long tour of the United Kingdom next week. Pastor Charamba recently graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz, where he was honoured as the best student in that category, a feat he plans to celebrate with his United Kingdom-based fans, whom he last played for in 2007.
As usual, the celebrated gospel musician together with his wife, Olivia, an accomplished artiste in her own right, will be backed by The Fishers of Men, which includes Beverley Chenera (backing vocals), Michael Anatori (lead guitar), Silas Anyway (keyboards), Paulos Victor (rhythm guitar), Lyton Saizi (bass guitar) Ronald Mundhuli (drums) and Fungai Hondo who will be the tour manager.

Dunstable Leisure Centre, in Dunstable, will be their first port of call on August 16, where they are expected to serenade fans from 10pm till late.
The second show, which will be a family show for UK families, will take place on August 17 in the heart of Midlands in Coventry at the Welcome Centre from 2pm until 10pm.

The family show will also provide playing facilities for children that will include jumping castles. African dishes would also be available at the venue.
Fishers of Men manager Ngoni Chandiwana said the Fishers of Men would embark on several other shows in and around Zimbabwe, once they fulfilled the UK tour, which, he said, was long overdue.

“What makes the UK show interesting is that it is the group’s first show since their last performance in the UK in 2007 and we would like to acknowledge and thank Destiny Africa for making this show possible,” he said.

The show dubbed “The Summer Gospel Music Gala”, will also feature the New Green Arrows that will be fronted by Aaron Manatsa, son of the legendary Zexie Manatsa, and Obert Mazivisa and the Trumpet   Echoes.

Pastor Charamba is Zimbabwe’s most influential gospel musicians and songwriters who has reinvented religious music with his eclectic style, blending traditional beats such as mbakumba and mhande and with modern styles and lyrics covering biblical messages and contemporary social issues.

He is part of a generation of gospel musicians who emerged at a time religious music, derided as “church music” by some, was seen as the sort of music fit only for Sunday listening accompanying radio sermons, Christian worship sessions and other church functions.

Together with his wife, Olivia, the couple, has managed to grow its clientele from the time they started singing gospel music, more than a decade ago.