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Arts Correspondent
The inaugural ZimPraise International Gospel and Music Festival during which the award winning choir will record live their upcoming DVD will be held this weekend in Harare.
Festival director and chief executive of ZimPraise Choir, Joseph Madziyire said the two-day festival has become a reality and promised music fans a great time.
“The festival has been long time coming and we owe it to our fans who wanted us to do this sort of thing after we successfully held the ‘It’s All about Jesus’ concerts in Harare. “The festival is exciting and quite different from all these other shows we have held so far,” Madziyire said
The two-day festival will open on September 19 with a “Legends Night” featuring some of the best gospel musicians among them songstress Carol Mujokoro, who was once a member of the famed Agea group together with Ivy Kombo-Kasi.
Other legends on the line up include Baba Mechanic Manyeruke and Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave. Baba Manyeruke has classics like “Madhimoni”, “Moses Murenje” and “Makorokoto” while Fungisai has her own formidable greats including “Ndauya Ndega”.
But the draw card is likely to be Oliver Mtukudzi who is celebrating a career spanning 40 years. Tuku has got several gospel songs to his name. “All my music is gospel. I have never sung for Satan,” he once said in an interview.
True to his words, Tuku music, a genre he fathered is about self-discipline and respect of other people. Presumably Tuku’s playlist for the festival will comprise hymns from his purely gospel songs including offerings such as “Ndinoshamiswa Kwazvo”.
The second day, aptly dubbed “Praise and Worship”, will feature award winning ZimPraise Choir who will take to the stage for a live recording of their upcoming DVD.
Other artistes scheduled to perform include current gospel charts toppers Sabastian Magacha and Mathias Mhere as well as several choirs from different denominations including the ever popular apostolic choral groups.
Online Reporter