Taking jazz to another level

Ezekiel Putirwa Own Correspondent
His music contains a unique blend of traditional acoustic rhythms, careful lyrics, synchronised backing vocals, the accompanying jazz lead guitar and the gentle pounding of the bass guitar. His music also draws from issues, experiences, old and contemporary sounds and lyrics.

It is then appropriate to say that the genres of the various tracks on his three albums range between modern and contemporary afro-jazz. The fusionist is certainly ambitious and well organised, is industrious and practical and underscores his projects with intense passion.

This is the music world of Dani Dube – the lyricist and guitarist par excellence.

Dani has been in music since the early 1960s, although he did not record until in 2012 when a friend convinced the soft-spoken Dani to go into the studio

He confides how he started: “Way back with my two brothers we were taught by our uncle to play the guitar which was played in the fashion of a slide guitar, using a bottle.”

Later on, these sons of a carpenter began making their own nylon- stringed guitars in their father’s woodworking shop. Dani insists that he is not son of a carpenter but rather of a “woodworker”.

This jazz man strives to inspire the listeners with lyrics that many can relate to as it touches on to their day-to-day experiences. Commenting on the musician’s third and recent album, veteran radio presenter and journalist Terence Mapurisana says: “Dani caters for listeners dancing appetites through increased tempo, acoustic guitar sounds, convincing percussion determined bass, elaborate lead guitar and heart-warming keyboard melodies.”

Dani’s music is sweet to those willing to be trendsetters and are brave enough to break away from the musical diet of “let’s jive and sweat” sounds.

Those sounds that are plagiarised and popularised through heroworship rather than some sound judgment of musical inventiveness. His three albums, namely “Gogogoi”, “Chawawana” and “Tsiru Riya”,are a joy to listen to and the musician’s ability to compose in various indigenous languages has made him a cut above the rest.