adminIvan Zhakata-Arts Correspondent
MALAWIAN mbira musician Patrick Chimbewu is set to have collaborations with Zimbabwean counterparts after having put out a grand performance in the country, which left fans begging for more.
Chimbewu, who plays Sansiba, which is a trumpet connect to mbira, will be collaborating with Florence Nyamazana, popularly known as the Lioness Shumbakadzi, Prudence Katomene-Mbofana and Mbira Dzenharira.
His song with Lioness, which is said to be a surprise, will be launched this week in both audio and video format.
The Lilongwe-based Chimbewu was spotted when he put up a splendid performance in Zimbabwe at a cultural exchange programme with Tamba Africa before he was invited by Lioness to perform at her birthday party in Mutare.
He said he was happy to be collaborating with Zimbabwean artistes as Malawi and Zimbabwe’s traditional values were similar.
“I am happy to be collaborating with Zimbabwean musicians because Zimbabwe and Malawi are not much different, our tradition is similar,” he said.
“It is my wish to meet Alick Macheso because I understand he comes from Malawi.
“The collaboration between Zimbabwean and Malawian artistes will give an opportunity to Zimbabwean artists to come and perform in Malawi and share the stage with our mbira artists.”
Lioness said she was happy to be collaborating with Chimbewu as this will unlock the value in mbira music.
“As Zimbabwean mbira musicians our mission is yet to be accomplished and we are almost there,” she said. “In recent days, mbira music has hogged the limelight and it is being played almost every time.
“Zimdancehall used to rock the music industry in the past years, but mbira music is back with a bang. Mbira resembles Africanism and we are happy to be collaborating with Chimbewu and we hope to have more collaborations with mbira musicians from Malawi.”
Lioness pleaded with music promoters to include a mbira category on music awards as a way of promoting the music in the entertainment industry.
The mbira is a traditional African instrument played with the thumbs and fingers dating back thousands of years and is widely accredited to the Shona people of Zimbabwe.
Through travel and interactions, the insturment is now played in other countries in Southern Africa such as Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi and some parts of South Africa.
Online Reporter