Upcoming artistes’ albums

Kumbirayi Shoniwa Entartainment Reporter
While many music followers were on lookout for albums from established artistes last year. New and upcoming artistes took turns in various studios to release new material and below are some of the albums released late last year: Mel Khumalo & Jazz 1 Voice-“Uthando”“Uthando” is a six-track compilation which is sung in both Shona and Ndebele and blends many instruments to bring out a unique Afro-jazz tune to the genre of gospel music.

It was written and arranged by Melusi “Mel” Khumalo, and launched late 2013.

“Musandishore” and “Khumbula” have a distinctly traditional African sound which is fused with a bass and acoustic jazzy tune creating a unique sound especially in local gospel circles.

Other tracks on the album include “Hukuru hwenyu”, “Kwaze Kwakuhle”, “Inyasha” and “Uthando”, whose themes include having pride in being children of God as well as providing hope for those who are in suffering.

The band comprises of Thabani Khumalo and Blessings Ncube on vocals, Samuel “Sam” Tsitsi (Bass guitar), David Fangas (Keyboard and Percussion) with Mel Khumalo on Lead Vocals as well as Acoustic guitar. The album was produced by Kabin Studios of Mt. Hampden.

Chief Nyatsimba Mutota

Gasho ne Mhuri yeMutota Band —“Takabvepi”

The six-track album takes the listener on a traditional African journey with a rich mix of traditional and modern instruments including the mbira, drums, keyboards and guitars.

As the title suggests, the theme of most tracks explore the history of the Mutapa people as well as that of Zimbabwe as a whole with songs such as “Meso Asiwona” and “Zinya Mukuru”.

Gasho, who composed and arranged all the tracks, sings popular traditional songs such as “NyamaYekugocha” with accompanying commentary explaining the history of Zimbabwe and how the First Chimurenga came to be fought.

“Kuchemera PaPhone” highlights the way some sons and daughters of Zimbabwe left the country in search of greener pastures, only to realise that life was not that rosy out there as well. Thus, these children are called upon to return home and stop “crying on the phone” all the time.

Other tracks on the compilation include “Chigamba Chinoda Vakura” and “Kunze Kwaita Rima” which focus on morality and advice for young people who are forgetting their roots in favour of modern things which only leads to confusion.

The band is made up of Prince Nzuwa (Drums), Gift Mugwidi and Singleton Takaruza (Mbira), Edgar Droffice and Spencer Masango (Bass Guitar), Tendekai Maratu and Spencer Masango (Lead Guitars), Spencer Masango (Keyboards), with backing vocals done by Clara Hove and Chipo Dande.

Paul Tawonezvi — “The Grace of God”
Produced in the USA, the album is a unique gospel masterpiece blending Soul, Jazz and contemporary Pop music.
The track “Come on Lets Praise the Lord in an African Way” is sung in a very soulful and spirited way, taking the listener on a spiritual journey.
Tawonezvi also sings about patriotism and being loyal to one’s country in tracks such as “Heal our Land Zimbabwe” and “We are God’s People”, calling upon God to intervene and make Zimbabwe prosperous and great again.

The vices in the world are referred to in the track “The World is Messsed Up” and “Don’t Listen”, with the singer appealing foe divine intervention in the song “I Need A Miracle” in order to make the world a better place to live in for everybody.

Other songs on the album include “Your Will”, “Woza (Come)”, “Jerusalem”, “Cast Me Not Away” and the title track “The Grace of God”.

All songs were written and composed by Paul Tawonezvi, with Sean Gasaway and Jamie LaRitz producing the compilation.

Nerwande Mbira Group —“Ngoma Dzepasi”
The six-track compilation was written by Singleton Takaruza and is a touching and powerful traditional rendition of folk songs from Zimbabwe’s past.

Nerwande Mbira Group takes the listener on a spiritual journey into the tradition of African people in songs like “Ngoma Dzepasi” and “Dande”, with the mbira tunes blending well with the vocals.

Other tracks on the album are “Munogara Sei”, “Nyamaropa”, “Rega Kuchema” and “Garika Zvako”.

The album is a must-have for true mbira lovers with the unique skills of the Takaruza brothers, Singleton and Slovan, and it was mixed and mastered by Spencer Masango, with Dave Masango engineering the whole compilation.