Dudu Manhenga returns on stage

Langalakhe Mabena
After taking some time off – not staging any performances, veteran multi-award-winning Afro Jazz songbird Dudu Manhenga made a comeback to staging unplugged and live performances with a gig held at the Zimbabwe-German Society in Harare on October 11.
After she staged the weekend gig in the capital, Manhenga is expected to travel to Bulawayo and other parts of the country with a tour that marks her return to the music scene.
On her sabbatical, other than being a guest or host at a few jazz events and festivals locally, Manhenga has been immersed in the ministry of the Gospel and some social entrepreneurial endeavours that include developing an educational facility for children in need.
As she returned on stage, the artiste took Jazz lovers on a trip down memory lane and allowed them to reconnect with her as she belted out songs from her rich discography.
“The playlist for the evening included some of my best-loved music from the six albums on my credit since 2003, songs which have been welcomed and celebrated not only by my fellow Zimbabwean audiences but beyond our borders.
“All the upcoming “Dudu Live in Concert” gigs that I will perform all over Zimbabwe, will be an opportunity to come and hang out, catch up, as well as embarking on a trip down memory lane on favourite tunes, and also have the great opportunity of catching the first glimpse of my new material.
“Going foward, I will allow my fans to have a sneak preview of my most recent production – the song and video of Munotidisisa which is fresh from the studio,” said Manhenga
Manhenga has been performing professionally since 1997 at the age of 16, and by 2012 she had recorded five albums.
She performed widely in Zimbabwe, both solo and alongside some of the nation’s top artistes and those from other countries.
Among other tours, in 2009 she toured the Southern African region under the FLAME project, as the Zimbabwean collaborator with female artistes from South Africa and Mozambique.
She toured Italy in 2011, with performances in various cities.
In 2012, part of her tour included a special performance for Pope Benedict XVI, where she received the Italian 25th Grand Prix Award for Social Communication,
Dudu is considered a world-class act. Her style is influenced by great African Jazz singers.
As she returns, her upcoming gigs will be backed by gifted musicians led by her husband and drummer Blessing Mparutsa