Zata-Zemba end ‘marriage’

Zemba Ne- Mbira Dzetsokoto.
The split comes barely two years after the death of one of its founding members, Fungai Zata.
Zata died on July 8, 2010 at Murewa General Hospital from injuries sustained in a car accident while he was travelling from Harare to Murehwa.
In retaliation to this latest development within the group, female percussionists seized all the group’s instruments, resulting in Zemba buying new instruments.
Efforts to get comments from the rest of the group members were in vain by the time of going to print.
In an interview, Zemba confirmed the split.
He, however, could not be drawn into giving details of the split, saying he would rather discuss the challenges they faced as Zata-Zemba and how his new outfit would move forward.
“We last recorded an album three years ago because of financial constraints. We had problems receiving our royalties from Gramma Records.
“They (Gramma) always gave us empty promises and Zata died on his way from Harare, where he had gone to check on our royalties.
“During his funeral Gramma only paid us US$40 for the burial so you can imagine how tough things have been for us.
“I have written a lot of songs and I don’t have money to approach any recording studio,” said Zemba.
Zemba is now a music teacher at Mushumbi Primary, a school in his home area where he conducts mbira lessons.
“I am teaching some pupils mbira so that I can get a few dollars for my big family,” he said.
Zata-Zemba was made up of eight members, three of whom were female percussionists as well as backing vocalists.
The group had four mbira players – Nyamatsatse (lead), Duriro (rhythm), Dongonda (sub-rhythm) and Nhovapasi (bass).
Zata and co-band leader Godfrey Zemba are close friends who put Murehwa on the map after joining forces in 1978 when they started playing mbira at traditional ceremonies.
Zemba was the first to learn how to play mbira although his father was a Baptist and lay-preacher in an apostolic church.
Zata-Zemba recorded their first album “Musha Matare” in 1991 and it was one of their best projects.
“Musha Matare” is arguably one of the best products in the mbira genre and is still doing well on the market.
The group also recorded “Nhanda Urombo” in 1993 before bouncing back with “Dura Repasi” in 1998, which they fused with guitars.
The recorded their first CD album “Nhunga Makore” in 2001 which was well received leading to the group’s maiden tour of South Africa and Holland in the same year.
They also recorded another masterpiece – “Charakupa Denga” – in 2003, which also did well on the market.
Over the years, the group has grown from a two-man outfit to a group of eight, with most of the members coming from the Zata and Zemba families.