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it’s all over for them at the Black Spirits owing to irreconcilable differences with the employer, and are already seeking greener pastures.
Bassist and senior member Never Mpofu, the celebrity couple of Charles and Namatayi Chipanga as well as new recruit drummer Simba Dembedza were unceremoniously dropped from the band amid tension over salary disputes as well as working conditions.
Mtukudzi or simply Tuku to his fans, sprung up a surprise when he performed at the official opening of the Harare Agricultural Show last week with a makeshift band comprising session musicians Enock Piroro on bass, Max Chiwara on lead guitar, drummer Blessing Muparutsa and Strovers Strovers on percussion.
The “Meso Piriviri” singer also took the same hastily assembled group to South Africa for a jazz festival.
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In separate interviews, both marimba prodigy Charles and his wife Namatayi confirmed they had parted ways with Mtukudzi while Mpofu and Dembedza were a bit diplomatic about the issue.
Chipanga blamed lack of communication within the band, saying the departure was always coming.
“I guess this is what happens at every workplace and I could see it coming although I didn’t think it would end this way.
“Quite honestly, we are no longer with the band due to a number of reasons and I cannot single out one although lack of communication was the biggest challenge,” he said.
Musically, Chipanga said he learnt a lot from Mtukudzi.
“He’s still my father and I’m still his son. Tuku is a legend and that is one thing you cannot take away from him and it was great to work with a legend,” he said.
Asked how Tuku will make it without him on marimba, Chipanga wished him well.
“Tuku being what he is I think he can play with anyone and my only hope is that whoever is going to replace me will take the music to even greater heights.
“Tuku Music is mostly about the guitar and the voice (vocals) and I was just there to add flavour to a brand,” Chipanga said.
On his future, he said he was now focusing his efforts on a follow up album to his debut “Prayer Expose: Namatayi” that features the hit single “Talk To Somebody”.
“The bottom line is me and my wife are no longer there (at Black Spirits) and as musicians we are now looking at releasing a follow up album.
“We are just going to put whatever we learnt from Tuku into making our music a success,” Chipanga said.
But he added: “There is no bad blood between us. In fact, Tuku took us to greater heights both locally and overseas and we hope to continue working together in other circles.
“We respect his decision but since we have grown musically we want to take our music further.”
Mpofu told The Herald that management surprised him when they were told not to show up at the afternoon gig that was scheduled for the Harare Agricultural Show.
“The management said that we had a show at the Aquatic Complex in Chitungwiza but we were not supposed to play at the show.
“More shocking was that the same group that performed at the show was the one that went to South Africa,” he said.
Asked if they had been sacked, Mpofu professed ignorance, saying he was still waiting to hear from Tuku.
On the issue of the salary dispute, Mpofu could neither confirm nor deny saying it was an internal issue.
“There hasn’t been any official word from Tuku or the management. But concerning the salaries I think that’s an internal issue which I am not able to discuss,” he said.
When asked if he was still a member of the famed Black Spirits, Mpofu said he was not sure.
“We don’t know what the future holds at the moment because we are still to hear from them (management),” he said.
Dembedza said he could not comment on the issue before referring all questions to the band manager Sam Mataure.
He, however, confirmed that he was asked not to play at last Friday’s afternoon gig at the Harare Agricultural Show.
When contacted for comment, Mataure who lost his mother some two weeks ago, said he could not comment because he was still grieving.
This latest development is however not new with Tuku who in 2007 wielded the axe on then lead guitarist Clive Mono Mkundu, sound engineer Philani Dube, percussionist Kenny Neshamba, drummer
Clive Mutyasira, keyboardist Jairos Hambahamba, and his own daughter, Selmor, who was a vocalist.
The bunch was replaced by Chipanga, who was playing marimba and a backing vocalist Vimbai Zimuto.
Despite the hullabaloo that Tuku’s decision caused then, Mataure, immediately defended his paymaster’s decision, saying Tuku wanted to try a “new very interesting concept, which has a strong African feel”.
It now remains to be seen whether Tuku’s latest decision is also geared towards introducing another interesting new concept.
Online Reporter