adminBongani Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
BOB Nyabinde is a shrewd storyteller with an acoustic guitar who sings satirically about social issues that affect Zimbabweans. On Thursday, backed by Ivan Tsopodzi on keyboard and wearing his signature leather cap and glasses, the Headmaster sat on a bar stool, and immediately got the crowd in the mood with his silvery voice at an intimate show at Archers’ Sports Club.
In the crowd were Ernest “Maphepha” Sibanda, Zifa vice-president Omega Sibanda and Highlanders Football Club team manager Willard “Mawii” Khumalo, among others.
As Nyabinde, 56, plucked away at his guitar his songs touched on a number of societal topics that had rich messages based on social themes expressed using an up-tempo Afro Township jazz sound. He is good at endearing himself to a small and appreciative crowd interacting with the audience by unleashing jokes and songs.
In an interview after the show Nyabinde said: “My stories are not made-up but I get them from my experiences in life. We see and hear a lot of things everyday of our lives and I just translate it onto songs with my guitar then I let the crowd sing along,” he said.
True to this during his show Nyabinde would teach his fans his songs, who would in turn sing along and laugh at his satirical look at serious issues like women and men abuse.
His music is entertaining, educational and amusing showing his strong background as a teacher and a headmaster before he retired in 2007.
Nyabinde said his most memorable time when he was a headmaster at JR Davis Primary School in Kwekwe was when a child came to the front at assembly and called him by his name.
“When I reprimanded him saying I am not Bob Nyabinde, I am the headmaster, he simply walked away and went to his friends, said something to them and the group laughed. When I quizzed one of the teachers who was within earshot of them, she said they were laughing at the fact that I was denying my name in public,” he laughed.
He said playing music or football was the in-thing as he grew up in the 70s and he took up both when he was at Mutare Teachers’ College.
“I started playing the guitar when I was 12 and when I went to Mutare Teachers’ College I was involved in the music department. Back in those days it’s either you were involved in football or music. I was fortunate to be involved in both,” Nyabinde said.
He said musicians should not be deterred by what people say as he was a victim of people not believing in his type of music.
“In the late 80s I wanted to release an album and I went around record companies trying to get a deal. They told me that my music was rubbish and it would not sell. I then decided not to be bothered with a record deal and started playing in bars,” said Nyabinde.
After years of doing that and doubling up as a headmaster he was approached in 2002 by Metro Studios head Jabu Ndlovu in Kwekwe after watching him perform.
“It was after a long time that people started to understand my music,” said Nyabinde.
He was joined on stage at Archers’ Sports Club by his senior at Mutare Teachers’ College, Bob Dlamini whom he described as his mentor.
Online Reporter