adminof Taso” before he vanished from the scene.
Since then, the artiste – who is famed for songs and videos like “Vaka Zimbabwe” among others – went Down Under to concentrate on his career as a hospital equipment technician working for private hospitals at the same time buying and selling cars.
“I was quiet owing to the economic situation that the country (Zimbabwe) has been going through.
“It was really difficult to make music sales but now the environment is better and we are going for it once again,” Taso said.
Taso also said at the time there were few promoters who were committed to promote the industry.
“We also didn’t have committed promoters to push us. Some guys were lucky to have promoters while we were funding ourselves.
“My challenge is that promoters should try us and they won’t be disappointed by what we are going to offer since we are back in serious business,” he said.
Taso said this is the reason why he decided to call his album – to be released in March – “Wakanga Wanzwei”, to silence armchair critics who thought he was now a spent force.
“I am trying to answer people who thought that I had fizzled out career-wise. They thought that I had left singing forever but the truth is that I am still around and those who like my music should put smiles on their faces because I am back,” Taso said.
He said he was still playing pansula despite the fact that music trends have evolved.
“I am still playing pansula although I have added new things to the beat.
“New styles can come but that doesn’t mean we should discard what defines us. That is the reason why chimurenga and sungura are still the same after so many years although new trends are thrown in to make the styles move with the times,” he said.
Taso said he was going to use a live band since he has moved from using digital instruments.
He also bemoaned piracy, saying not much was being done to put an end to it.
“We are not fighting piracy seriously. We all need to be involved in the fight against piracy. In Botswana, they have managed to fight piracy because they have put in place stiff penalties which deter the practice.
“And in South Africa they are starting to fight piracy seriously because they realised that it is retrogressive. It (piracy) cuts the supply line to music to the airwaves and other avenues of entertainment.
“Composers cannot keep on working to create new stuff which eventually ends up in the wrong hands,” he said Taso – who has roped in a new manager Douglas Chiguvare and retains the services of long-time dancer Nico Murape – said regional tours were also on the cards.
“International and regional tours are also on the cards since we intend to give our regional fans a treat for the support they have been giving us over the years.
“We will be touring Mozambique, where I have struck a deal with a recording company there as well as South Africa,” he said.
“Wakanga Wanzwei?” carries tracks like “Ndongogara Ndichikufunga”, “Vaka Zimbabwe”, “Come To Me”, “Garai Naye”, “Wandirovesa”, “Pawakairasa” and some instrumental tracks.
Taso was born in the 1970s and grew up in Wedza.
He worked as a teacher at Kambarami and Dombodzvuku Secondary Schools in Murehwa before training as a hospital technician with the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare in 1990.
He also underwent music training at the Zimbabwe College of Music in 1994 where he was taught playing keyboards by the late Dumi Ngulube of Amagents.
His albums include “Taso Comes To Town” (1999), “More Explosive Hits” (2000), “Dance To The Moving Style” (2001), “Tingachemedzana Sei?” (2002), “Songs of Praise Volume 1” (2004 which was a gospel album), “Taso Gets Dangerous” and “To Be More Dangerous”.
Online Reporter