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Ronald Chiwanza : Own Correspondent
June 12 marked exactly five years since one of Zimbabwe’s finest musicians and broadcaster Hilton Mambo breathed his last. Dr Bobo or Mudhara Kambezo, as he was affectionately known, succumbed to cardiac complications at the age of 60 on June 12, 2011 after battling the disease since 2009. I take time to recall the role the man played to shape our station ZBC SFM to be the leading adult and contemporary station as it stands today.Hilton was a great musician who played with the Groovy Union , Sound Effects and The Harare Mambos but I will not dwell much into his music career because I was still growing up then but I will share about Hilton the broadcaster who was one of my mentors and inspiration.
When Hilton Mambo returned from the UK in 2009 he was requested by the management to come and present a show at the same time imparting his vast radio experience to the new breed of presenters that included me.
He joined the station late 2009 and was immediately given the “Sunday Morning Show” then between 9am and 12pm and I was presenting the Sunday Breakfast Show between 6am and 9am so he came straight after my shift.
Hilton also presented the “Jazz Hour” every Monday and Wednesday afternoons alternating with Noah Matselele. His vast knowledge of music in general was unmatched and each time he took over from my shift I would make sure I listen to his whole show because there was always a lot to learn.
Dr Bobo loved his wise waters and would regularly entertain fans at various places in town during the weekends and it was normal to experience “a heavy head” in the mornings. He sometimes came late for his shift and I was getting used to seeing the man pulling his small travelling bag (which turned to a CD bag) as he walked into the studio flashing that infectious smile and releasing a distinct husky voice. “Eeeeh youngman I am not late, I was in the carpark enjoying the music you are playing and I thought I shouldn’t disturb you, well done young man . . . that’s how it’s done worldwide,” he would regularly say.
My love for Zimbabwe jazz immediately struck him and we became close buddies.
The man was a pure genius and he started sharing with me some of his music, Van Morrison, Level 42 , Lou Rawls, Weather Report are some of the bands he introduced me to. He also encouraged me to listen to a lot of blues – The Animals, BB King and The James Cotton Blues Band are some of the blues bands he regularly gave me to listen to. Little did I know that the man was actually grooming me to take over his “Sunday Radio Show” when he is gone, the one we now call “The Sunday Easy Listening” on SFM.
Whenever he excused himself from the shift he would ask management to allow me to stand in on his behalf. The short time I spent with Dr Bobo is priceless, it is only when he was gone that I realised I had acquired a lot from him. As we listen to his 1986 recording “With you in my life” we shall always cherish the husky voice and the knowledge he imparted and that his legacy will always be cherished.
As ZBC SFM team we shall always treasure the moments we had together. The shoes he left are too big to fit.
Online Reporter