Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Richmore Tera
7 August 2008
Harare — SAM - the son of music grandmaster Oliver Mtukudzi - will launch his debut album Rume Rimwe in Johannesburg, South Africa tomorrow.
The launch, to be held at Birchwood Hotel, will feature two yet-to-be-confirmed South African music groups as guest performers.
The 20-year-old ex-Prince Edward High School student and gifted saxophonist described the launch as a celebration of local music by upcoming artistes. He also said it was a mark of the great headway upcoming musicians were making on the international arena.
"It's sort of a celebration of local music on behalf of upcoming artistes in Zimbabwe. With it we are saying though we may not have much attention, but we can still make it.
"It might be one of those rare moments when a local upcoming musician has gone outside our country's borders with a full band while launching an album and performing at the same time," he said.
Sam said the launch of the 12-track album would also provide him with an opportunity to market the project not only to South Africans, but to the world as a whole considering that the 2010 World Cup would bring together people from all walks of life.
"I decided to launch the album in South Africa because it is one of the central and versatile places in Africa and that alone gives the country the power to push the album to a broader audience considering that the World Cup games would lure different people from across the globe.
"That way, I am planting a seed that would offer me maximum exposure. It would also sort of trigger the album's release in South Africa where it was not yet available on the market," said Sam.
Sam said the launch - facilitated by Tuku Music in conjunction with Sheer Sound and Birchwood Hotel - would also help push the album which he said did not get the kind of reception he had hoped for since its initial launch at Pakare Paye Arts Centre in December last year.
"The distribution of the album locally has been quite a struggle since its release late last year.
"This was probably so because it was my first project, but I don't want my father to give me all the contacts in as far as music is concerned because I want to struggle on myself," Sam boldly stated.
Sam, who plays backed by his Ay Band, plays a fusion of jazz and katekwe, derived from his father's Tuku Music Brand.
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