adminDjembe Monks comprises four artistes namely Khotso “Torture Drum” Nare, Emmanuel “RoottzKolossal” Nkomo, Ndumiso “Black Cee” Tshuma and Nqabutho “Slimzar” Ncube.
The four artistes’ talents play a complementary role as each can be a percussionist, a deejay, singer and composer.
In an interview, director of Djembe Monks, Ndumiso Tshuma, said the group is optimistic that it will take its music to another level by working with various artistes across the border.
“Our music takes the audience down the memory lane of African roots, tradition and culture.
“We have decided to spread such messages to a greater audience regionally and internationally,” Tshuma said.
The group also hailed South Africa’s Kwela Tebza saying the group was unique in its way and given an opportunity they would like to work with them. “Tebza’s music is unique in its way and fusing their sounds with our own would produce a very unique sound,” he said.
Kwela Tebza is a group made up of three talented brothers — Mpho, Tebogo and Tshepo Lerole — who play the pennywhistle that has become the group’s trademark.
The group’s music has blown many away not only regionally but on the international scale as well.
Kwela Tebza has performed with music greats such as Hugh Masekela.
Tshuma also said Djembe Monks started off on a shaky note as people were still puzzled by such a strange yet intriguing music genre. “When we started performing, many people were curious to find out what we were all about considering that we were the first group in Zimbabwe to play tribal house music. In as much as people thought we were small timers, our group has defied all odds.
“We intend to thrill people locally, regionally and internationally with our tribal house music,” he said.
Tshuma said their genre focuses on spreading a message that teaches people about their roots, tradition and culture.
The group has worked with numerous artistes locally and across the region. Last year, the group performed at the Intwasa Festival. They also performed with South Africa’s
Tsiki Mazwai and Chiwoniso Maraire.
“Performing alongside a number of influential artistes was more of a learning process to us. What humbled us the most was the response we got not only from revellers, but from big names like Black Coffee and DJ Kent who told us we could spread our wings to other audiences on an international scale,” said Tshuma
The group gave a top drawer performance at Bulawayo Athletic Club (BAC) where jazz sensation Zahara was performing.
Fans were captivated by the combination of bongos, congas and shakers complemented by digital music to produce a sound with a deep-rooted mature sound that tells a story rich in African culture.
Asked how the group’s talented artistes have managed to pull through considering their versatile talents, one of the monks, Rootzkolossal, said professionalism has kept the group going.
“As artistes with equal talents, we have passed that stage of wanting to outshine one another.
“Instead, we have used that to our own advantage in such a way that our talents play a complementary role because at the end of the day what comes out is not an individual’s performance, but group effort,” RootzKolossal said.
Asked on promoters turning a blind eye to local artistes, Tshuma said it is high time some artistes accepted the fact that standards of music play a crucial role in the arts
industry. “In as much as local artistes complain about promoters eyeing international artistes instead of us the local ones, maybe it is time we appreciated that what those international artistes have to offer is quality.
“As long as we can not produce music that matches those standards even on a local scale we would never be taken seriously,” he said.
Rootzkolossal, however, bemoaned the lack of respect local artistes are always faced with.
“If only promoters would make time for local artistes awarding them for their efforts, maybe their music can be taken seriously.
“Nothing demoralises an artiste harder than being a producer of a hit song, yet struggling to fend for his own due to lack of financial support,” he said.
The artistes also hailed all the organisations that have elevated them to where they are.
“We are very grateful to Tiago from Horizon, who has gone out of his way to support us in every way possible, the 3D Family, Ballers League, Alliance de Francaise, Pandave
Entertainment and DJ Mphoe for helping us play at the Basement Club,” Tshuma said.
The group also promised revellers an album set to raise the bar of Zimbabwean tribal house high. The album’s title is still under way and it will be released in April.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter