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stage when they perform at the Book Café tomorrow.
Dubbed “Hokoyo naChi: Chiwoniso Reignites with Andy Brown”, the gig, which has all the trappings of a thriller, will bring fond memories from the good old days when Chi used to back Andy in Storm.
The mbira songstress and the singer are likely to perform their previous recordings together and thereafter individual sets.
This will mark the first time the estranged couple, who have two daughters together, share a stage since their divorce.
“It’s actually cool that the show is going to happen, it’s totally at a professional level. It’ll be nice to perform together again after such a long time. A lot of people have been asking for this sort of thing to happen, so I’m sure the response will be great. But whether, we’ll continue with the shows, let’s wait and see,” Brown, also known as Muzukuru among his fans, told an online magazine.
According to the magazine, Maraire’s manager, Tsungi Zvobgo, chief executive officer of New Sofala Entertainment, pulled up the miracle after lengthy discussions with the guitar maestro and the mbira songstress.
Zvobgo, who developed the “Hokoyo naChi” music concept, said the show would be the biggest and most exciting of the edition to date.
“Hokoyo naChi was designed to showcase Chiwoniso’s extraordinary talent and versatility through collaboration with various artistes in Zimbabwe. Every performance has been unique so far but the collaboration with Andy will definitely be the biggest, and people should expect fireworks,” Zvobgo was quoted as saying.
“People should expect some cosmic energy to come out of the show; it will definitely be explosive.
Serious music fans should come and witness for themselves, and not miss out in what will most definitely be a key landmark in Harare’s arts renaissance.”
Brown and Maraire split up acrimoniously sometime in 2001 in a development that robbed Zimbabwe’s arts industry of one of its most prolific and legendary music couples.
The audiences just loved the combination of the two on stage.
Brown’s passionate guitar-playing and music arrangement skills combined with Maraire’s mbira and vocal prowess produced some unforgettable music.
Maraire’s first album “Ancient Voices” in 1998, undoubtedly one of her best albums on which she worked with Brown, consisted of a successful fusion of blues, jazz, rap, reggae and rhythms from Zimbabwe and brought critical, international acclaim to mbira music.
The album won the Radio France International (RFI) Decouverte Afrique 98 award The former lovers were introduced to each other by legendary music producer Keith Farquharson, who worked with
Maraire’s early band, Peace of Ebony, as well as Andy Brown and The Storm.
After the collapse of Peace of Ebony, Maraire joined Andy Brown and The Storm, which proved a fertile ground for the growth of her career. Brown and Maraire were successful both in Zimbabwe and abroad, and played at various concerts in Europe and Africa.
In 1999, Chiwoniso fronted Andy Brown and The Storm at the Masa festival in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where the band’s performance won them the Unesco Prize for Arts.
In the same year, Chiwoniso was a nominee in the “Best Female Vocals of Africa” category of the Kora Awards.
However, following a messy break-up, in 2001, Chiwoniso left Andy Brown & The Storm to form Vibe Culture alongside the late Adam Chisvo, a percussionist par excellence.
Online Reporter