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KAROI based Afro jazz musician-cum-producer, Lovemore Chimurambi, is a man on a mission.
The 47-year-old says he will not be deterred by haters working against his initiative to record less privileged artists at his studio.
Chimurambi, who decided to empower his community by opening Chimurambi Records, reckons there are some producers against his initiative.
“When I opened Chimurambi Records to assist incapacitated musicians in the community, I didn’t know that I would end up creating enemies of other producers in the area.
“As a community leader, it’s my responsibility to assist needy members,” he said.
Chimurambi said Karoi and its environs boast of musical talent, which should not be allowed to go to waste due to lack of recording facilities.
“In the past, we used to travel to Harare to record our music, but that era is gone since anyone can buy studio equipment and start recording, like I do.
“As a well-known person in the community, both seasoned and aspiring musicians stop me on the streets asking me for financial assistance to record their music.
“The answer I give then nowadays is that they can come to Chimurambi Records to record their music,” he said.
With the year coming to an end, Murambi is not ending 2022 empty-handed. “As a musician and producer with more than five albums, I couldn’t resist recording more music.
“I have a number of songs that I released on Christmas Day, namely Rita, Pahukama, Hondo and Shaina.
“I am hoping to record accompanying videos in the new year to ensure that I complement the audios,” he said.
Chimurambi, who has been holding a series of shows in the province, said he was looking forward to the new year.
“I’m ready for 2023 after a lot of strategising in 2022 in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is my hope that everything will go according to plan since we can now freely operate as we have always wanted,” he said.
Business wise, Chimurambi said he was determined to continue working hard.
“Besides music and my job as a firefighter, I am also a farmer.
“I have decided to venture into farming as a fallback plan in these trying times.
“I also urge fellow artists to find other sources of income because music alone is not enough. I think they learnt one or two things during the peak of Covid-19 that we needed to find other sources of income,” he added.
Chimurambi is one of the yesteryear artists who started from the back of the beyond.
He honed his skills when he came to Harare where he briefly worked as a security guard and later a transport manager at Manica Bus Company.
In his spare time, Chimurambi would perfect his guitar playing skills as well as vocal projection.
A versatile musician in his own right, Chimurambi can sing gospel, jazz, Chimurenga and sungura – a rarity with most artists
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter