adminDepending on the band’s orientation, some include marimba, mbira, saxophone, congas, keyboard, percussion and a host of other minor instruments such as hosho, clarinets among others.
Drummers are unfortunately nearly always relegated to the background, where they are at best heard rather than seen. This is despite the fact that drums have played a pivotal role in traditional African culture at funerals, weddings, sending messages between neighbouring chiefdoms not to mention declaring war and making peace and provide the beat around which modern music revolves.
Last week, some of the country’s finest drummers decided to emerge from the shadows to claim their rightful on the entertainment arena as part of the Drum Festival hosted by the Book Café.
The brainchild of New Sofala Entertainment director Tsungi Zvobgo, the Drum Fiesta seeks to give the entertainment industry’s unsung heroes a platform to shine, but also to market themselves as viable artistes in their own right. The first edition was held in October last year.
Among those showcasing their talents were Obert Gomba (Orchestra Mberikwazvo), Carlton Muparutsa (Orchestra Dendera Kings), Simba Dembedza (Victor Kunonga’s Peace) and Ngoni Chikuse and Mangoma.
Some gloss was taken off the event, however, when some of the celebrated artistes who were billed to make guest appearances in support of their drummers, such as Alick Macheso and Suluman Chimbetu did not turn up.
Not surprisingly, there were some murmurings about the US$10 cover charge for the weekday show.
But the initial disappointment soon melted away when MC for the night, stand-up comedian Edgar Langeveldt, announced guitar wizard Josh Meck would be provide live backing for the drummers.
And what a brilliant show it was as he got the ball rolling with a tribute to legendary Spanish guitarist Carlos Santana, famous for his whining guitar. Later he played the bass guitar just like Macheso when Extrabasso’s drummer Gomba came on stage
No wonder Langeveldt ran out of words to describe the Maonero frontman, whom he referred to as “the left-handed genius”.
He was occasionally joined by another guitarist Matthew. The duo brought the house down when they were joined on stage by all the drummers present in an explosion of sound dubbed the “Drum Orchestra”
Despite blowing hot and cold in recent years, Langeveldt, was brilliant as MC although he seems to have lost his sense of humour. Some of his jokes tended to be tired, while others, like when he tried to explain why there were no women drummers, were outright sexist and did not go down well with the womenfolk.
To his credit, the stand-up comedian made up for this flat jokes, with a commendable job behind the mic with an exciting rendition of some of Bob Marley’s greatest hits during the closing stages of the “Drum Orchestra”, which took the form of an “Open Mic” session.
Special mention must also go to the charismatic BaShupi, who was on hand to provide the vocals for Carlton (“Batai Munhu”) and Obert (“Zora Butter”). Never one to run out of ideas, the “Godo” hitmaker would vocalise various drum beats and ask the drummers to follow suit.
For their part, the drummers gave a good account of themselves as they pounded the drums into “submission” with or without guitar backing, while Ngoni opted for backtracks.
The fiesta ended in “drummer-tic” (dramatic) fashion as BaShupi with the assistance of the MC connived to “fix” the drummers by progressively “stealing” their equipment, starting with the cymbals, foot pedals, followed by the drums themselves and eventually the drumsticks — one at a time — until they could play no more.
And so ended the Drum Fiesta.
At various intervals throughout the fiesta, Langeveldt paid tribute to some of Zimbabwe’s hottest drummers over the years, singling out stalwarts like the late Jethro Shasha, Sam Mataure (now Tuku’s manager), Bothwell “African” Nyamhondera (now a top recording engineer), not to mention John Muyambo, better known as “Chibhodhoro”.
Online Reporter