adminThey have a hectic schedule that will see them playing an incredible 35 concerts in 15 countries during their current summer tour in the Northern Hemisphere which will last for three and a half months.
Just a month into the tour, Mokoomba has already performed in Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and the UK to a broad range of audiences including expatriate Zimbabweans who have been appreciative of their music.
Mokoomba has received rave reviews for their performances from popular newspapers like the Guardian UK and have been featured on BBC’s “Africa Beats” programme.
“Our next stop this week is Essaouira Gnaoua World Music Festival in Morocco which is our first time in North Africa. From there we go to the Africa Oyé Festival-Liverpool, which is UK’s biggest African music festival.
“It has been a great experience for us so far sharing our music and culture. We still have a long time before we come back home and we are doing our best to keep in touch with our home support via social networks,” said Abundance Mutori, Mokoomba’s bass player and spokesperson.
Formed in 2001, Mokoomba trumpet the energy and dynamism of their region’s best known geographic feature, the august Victoria Falls.
Although Mokoomba exploit Tonga rhythms and melodies, they are out to create a global fusion, a music rooted in their home reality while still open to the sounds of the world as evidenced by their latest CD “Rising Tide”.
After winning awards in Zimbabwe, recording a debut CD and touring Europe in 2009 and 2010, Mokoomba caught the ear of ace Cote D’Ivoirian bass maestro and female producer Manu Gallo.
Gallo is a veteran of Kiyi M’Bock, Zap Mama, and has released a number of fantastic solo CDs in her own right.
She produced Mokoomba’s “Rising Tide”, and her savvy judgment and familiarity with high-end
afro-pop production helped to make every track shimmer.
“Njoka”, the title track, is a brilliant mash-up of beat box vocals, warm guitar riffling, and punchy percussion and brass work, all backing Muzaza’s edgy lead vocal and rich layers of backing vocals from the rest of the group.
This band can sing, and they prove it on every track. “Mwile” is the Latin track, and Muzaza’s keening vocal works beautifully in this context.
“Misozi” explores the Congo connection, beginning with folksy acoustic guitar picking reminiscent of the old Copperbelt pickers (from the Zambia/Congo border).
Later, the song revs into full Congo pop mode, kwasa-kwasa style, with animated stop time riffs, sweetly soaring guitar leads, and great rhythm breakdowns. “Nimukonda” nods to melodious old-school reggae, and then rough-and-ready dancehall.
Online Reporter