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Trust Khosa
YESTERYEAR crooner, Job Mashanda, sits placidly on the couch at The Herald House balcony next to troubadour Kireni Zulu.
He struggles with his speech, but still boasts a fertile memory as he goes down memory lane.
A crowd-puller and chart-topper back in the day, Mashanda reckons he has a beautiful story to share with the world.
At 75, he has seen it all in showbiz, although the current generation will be forgiven if they don’t remember him.
His job back then was giving fans and club owners quality entertainment.
In recent weeks, Mashanda seems to have struck a special bond with Kireni, who is running his business affairs.
Kireni has gone out of his way to help Mashanda regain his recognition and prominence.
Mashanda’s career, which dates back to the late “70s remains an emotional roller-coaster.
The older generations and genuine music researchers will vividly remember the name “Job Mashanda”.
An oasis of knowledge, leader, and multi-instrumentalist, Mashanda’s chronicles are worth following.
“Where do you want me to start from my son?” asks Mashanda as he prepares for the interview.
His colleague, Kireni, intervenes and makes him feel at home before he starts narrating his journey.
“My music career was first written in the late 1970s and even after Independence as the co-leader of the once star-studded Sounds of the Muddy Face.
“My task was to coach the team to play instruments and overall aspects of music production since I was a music teacher.
“I was also in charge of bookings because of my academic background in accounts since I studied book-keeping and typing,” he recalls.
Before independence, Mashanda would lead a star-studded band, which later disbanded.
“In 1979, I made history for steering The Sound of the Muddy Face ship, which had some of the brightest talents ever to emerge in Zimbabwe.
“Some of the names that I led and managed included the late Cephas Mashakada (late), Paul Mpofu (late) of the ‘Murambinda’ fame, Zebron Magura, Jacob Teguru, and John Sibanda.
“It’s quite unfortunate that I lost some of my peers, but we had fun during our time,” he recalls.
Between 1980-90, Mashanda penned some of the popular hits like “Amai “Mandigona” released in 1980, “Denga Rababa” (1981), “Chido Chemoyo Wangu (1984), “Zuva Rakabuda MuAfrica” (1984), “Moyo Muchena” (1985) and “Ndaive Ndisina (1990).
After conquering Zimbabwe for a decade as a team, The Sounds of the Muddy Face disbanded in 1990.
“Leading a star-studded band had its fair share of problems and I was not amused when the group split.
“Paul Mpofu was the first to leave and formed the Zambuko Band. I followed suit and joined Spiders Band as their lead vocalist.
“Cephas Mashakada inherited the band’s name (Sounds of the Muddy Face) while John Sibanda and Jacob Teguru were seriously ill.”
Mashanda, who believed in professionalism, lasted four years at Spiders Band.
“There was a time when touring was draining my resources, and I had to quit the band.
“I had good memories at Spiders Band, along with Cyril Shonhiwa, who played the lead guitar and other guys like John Kazaki and Jude Murombedzi.
“In 1994, I decided to join Thobelani Band, whose founder members are still around,” he said.
After leaving Thobelani Band in the late 1990s, Mashanda hopped from one group to another.
“I used to have a good job in Harare and later decided to return to work, but age was now catching up with me.
“I ended up waiting to feature at jam sessions among other events.
“Most of the time, I’m now with my grandchildren in Waterfalls. I thank Kireni Zulu who has been checking on me regularly.”
Mashanda, who has lost most of his peers due to illness and other misfortunes, is now a born-again Christian.
“I have restored my relationship with God after realising that I am highly favoured. I am one of the people who lost most of his friends due to Aids, accidents, and destitution.
“Reflecting on the journey that I have travelled, I can only thank the Lord for taking me this far.”
Mashanda, who was blessed with four children, is a bitter man itching to meet his son Simbarashe. “As an elder in the industry, there are things that I regret, especially my marital challenges. I remarried, and I haven’t heard from my son, Simbarashe.
“He used to communicate with me, but we have lost contact. I just want to see him and nothing more.”
Mashanda denounced promiscuity in showbiz as the major setback.
“As I mentioned at the start of this interview, I urge artistes to desist from promiscuity and invest wisely. Music is a career where opportunities come once and as such, one has to make good use of their earnings.”
Online Reporter