Online Reporter
Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter
MEHLULI “Taz” Moyo is a man on a mission.
Taz, who earned legendary status in Zimbabwean music as a key member of one of the country’s most beloved groups, Afrika Revenge, sees every stage as a shop window.
Whenever an artiste steps onto that stage, they become a mannequin — except instead of clothes, it is their music and performance that are on display.
For Taz, the real mission is placing these artistes in the shop windows that attract the attention of the most influential audiences.
With the Kings Kraal Jazz Festival returning for its second edition on 18 December, Taz believes he will have moved closer to achieving that goal.
Last year’s inaugural edition, also held in December, was a festive celebration featuring some of Zimbabwe’s most notable jazz luminaries. It was a unifying event, with stars from both Bulawayo and Harare receiving a warm reception from a crowd that proved — despite predictions of its demise — that jazz is still very much alive.
In fact, some might argue that in Zimbabwe, the genre is thriving.
A full house attended the first edition of the festival and Taz expects nothing less this year.
Artistes billed to perform include Victor Kunonga, Jeys Marabini, The Outfit Band featuring Mimmie Tarukwana, Selmor Mtukudzi and Charles Mahlaba, with DJ Posse as host.
Taz said the festival’s core mission remains to unite the northern and southern regions of the country through jazz.
“We held our inaugural jazz fest last year and it was a resounding success,” he told Sunday Life.
“Our idea was to bring artistes from both the northern and southern parts of Zimbabwe for a gig that united everyone through the power of jazz and I think we achieved that. We had Tanga Wekwa Sando, Prudence Katomeni, Gog Bekezela, Jeys Marabini and others.
“Everyone had a blast and we want the same to happen this year, which is why we are not pulling any punches. This time, we are bringing Victor Kunonga, for whom this is a homecoming because he is a Bulawayo boy.
“We have rising star Charles Mahlaba, The Outfit and our elder — the owner of the city —who will bring down the curtain and provide the closing prayer through his tunes. We are very excited to bring this back to the people of Bulawayo because of the success we enjoyed last time.”
Taz added that support from the corporate world has been overwhelming, noting that many jazz lovers come from the business community and are among the genre’s most loyal consumers.
“We have a lot of corporates supporting us and that is testament to the strength of the concept. We understand that this is music enjoyed by people in the corporate space. They are the ones who appreciate jazz and so we are bringing them here so they can enjoy the genre while interacting and having a good time with their peers and friends,” he said.
As one of the organisers of what is fast becoming a major festive-season highlight on the Bulawayo showbiz calendar, Taz said he is motivated to assemble the best possible line-up because the festival offers artistes an ideal platform to market themselves.
With jazz music often used as the soundtrack to corporate events and functions, artistes performing at the festival may be securing future bookings without even realising it.
“As an artiste myself, this is something I am really fighting for. I want to raise the profile of the artistes we put on this platform and make them the first choice if audiences like what they see. I got a lot of support when I was doing what I do best, and I want the same for my fellow artistes.”
“I want the fortunes of artistes to improve and I believe that if they do well here, any corporate that sees their work will always put them at the front of the list. Whenever they host events in the future, these are the musicians who will be at the front of the queue,” he notes.
Taz said that with the genre continuing to enjoy strong corporate support, its decline is nowhere in sight.
“At almost every function you attend — whether in Government or the corporate world —jazz music or jazz artistes are being played. With that kind of exposure, our artistes should always be visible. This gig is meant to put them in the shop window for those well-paying future gigs,” he said.
Reflecting on last year’s edition, Taz said he realised just how united Zimbabweans truly are. This, he added, is why the festival has always prioritised bringing together artistes from diverse cultural backgrounds.
“One thing we learnt from last year is that Zimbabweans are united and they love their country, regardless of what people might say. People sang every artist’s song word-for-word, without any regard for where the artistes were from.
“It was the most fun the guys from Harare had had in a long time. Our people showed that it does not matter if you are white, blue or have one toe — people will support your music as long as it gives them the feeling they crave. Bulawayo has unbeatable hospitality and it showed last year,” he added.
