adminFrom The–Horse’s Mouth
AFRO jazz musician, Jeys Marabini, might not turn heads on the streets of Harare, but he is big beyond our borders.
Like the proverbial prophet, who has no honour in his homeland, he is adored by many outside Zimbabwe.
Last weekend, he proved his mettle when he performed alongside Louis Mhlanga at the inaugural Jazz & Soul in Zim Musical Festival in Harare.
In this instalment of From The Horse’s Mouth, he opens up on his journey.
l BRIEF PROFILE
I was born 53 years ago in Filabusi, Matabeleland South. Like any other rural boy, we used to herd goats and cattle. I did my primary education at a school called Dekezi in 1980.
I delayed going to school because of the war.
Afterwards, I enrolled at Dekezi Secondary School. I was born in a family of nine boys, that’s why my real name is called Majahawodwa Ndlovu, which means boys only.
I am the seventh in the family.
Both my parents died as well as my two brothers.
l CALLING
My mother, who used to sing at Brethren in Christ Church, inspired me. I became a member of an acapella group called Amasango Asekhaya which specialised in Imbube music.
At school, I used to sing in the choir led by my teacher, Janatham Mthunzi.
We won medals with the choir when I was at primary school.
l EARLY DAYS
I discovered that music is my calling since I used to entertain schoolchildren. When I completed my Ordinary Level, I decided to take music as my career.
I formed an Imbube group called Comforting Brothers, which performed in my village during funerals and weddings.
We also performed in schools, halls, and churches.
l RESILIENCE
In no time, we started doing performances in different districts until we landed in Bulawayo where we competed with other groups like Black Umfolosi, Sunduza Boys, Insingizi, Amakhosi, just to mention a few.
We started organising shows outside Bulawayo and we toured other areas around Zimbabwe like Zvishavane, Mberengwa, Masvingo, Gutu, Buhera and Mash Central where people accepted our music.
A lot of people had never heard the Imbube music that we introduced. Young kids, elders and priests fell in love with our music.
Most people could not understand our language but gave us support, which gave us the courage to continue singing.
l BREAKTHROUGH
My breakthrough came in 1994 when I left the group and went on to join Sunduza Boys. I was with them up to 1998 when we went to India for two months and that same year we toured Canada and the UK.
I left Sunduza at the end of 1998 and formed a Promotions company with Louise Harding where we promoted groups/bands like Albert Nyathi, Four Brothers, Siyaya, Imbizo, Tananas, Hukwe Zawose.
I did that for three years before I formed the band Jeys Marabini.
l SOLO CAREER
I recorded my first album Emarabini, which won the Best Video of the Year award in 2003 during the Zima awards.
It was followed by the album Thuthukani Ngo Thando which has very beautiful songs like Umuzi Kababa and Uthando Lwakho.
Afterwards, I recorded the album Sound of Today and Tomorrow, it carried beautiful songs like Amalungelo and Shadows On The Wall.
It was followed by Jeys Marabini One Time album, which has the famous song eZimangeni, which won a Zima award too.
I went on to record another album called Izenzo, featuring Nana Coyote from Stimela in South Africa.
Recorded in South Africa, it featured Ndatshi Mkhize and an amazing late drummer called Cham Muparutsa. After that album, I recorded Jeys@40.
Currently, I have the new album Xola, which I am promoting throughout the whole of Zimbabwe.
I have also toured the US, Singapore, Czech Republic, Germany, India, Spain, Italy.
NB: Celebrities who want to contribute to this column and share their stories can contact our Entertainment Desk on 0719119633 (WhatsApp/calls) or 0774119633 (calls/sms) or email or [email protected] or [email protected]
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter