Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Jonathan Mbiriyam
3 October 2008
Harare — IN 1999, Zimbabwe's music star Oliver Mtukudzi released the album -- Tuku Music.
The album caused a stir on the airwaves and relaunched Mtukudzi's seemingly waning fortunes.
It had been a long winding road for Tuku as his fans fondly call him. With the release of Tuku Music there was a marked change in Tuku the person as well as the music.
Before Tuku Music, there was never anything quite like it and that the album title became the stable and the style of Tuku is an indication that he had reached a milestone.
Of course, like all his albums, Tuku Music was open to discussion and interpretation.
But my understanding of Tuku Music was that it talked about peace, love, tolerance, discipline and the respect for human freedoms and liberties.
This, in essence, is what Tuku has been singing in all his music to date.
The temptation has always been to relate Tuku's songs to everyday struggles, joys and sorrows, which is only normal.
From the mid 1970s Tuku has been churning out songs that had everything to do with the community in which he lived.
Just like his music, his backing group -- The Black Spirits, has played host to several musicians from the days of Job Muteswa and Tuku's late brother Robert to the days of Mwendy Chibindi and Mary Bell, everything has been evolving.
While other things changed, Tuku's voice was distinctive.
Those of us with a history of listening to Tuku's music will tell you that his music never changed but it varied.
The reintroduction of marimba and mbira is not anything new, in fact, his music has had all the various instruments played differently.
However, the Tuku that we know today is not the one we used to see and know way back.
He's changed and to borrow from the English adage, he's matured with age like wine.
He no longer needs handlers showing him the way and pretty much outspoken than he was during his twenties, thirties and forties.
So when he delivered his 56th birthday message more so on current affairs I was a bit hesitant to take it at face value.
For the first time, he openly issued a statement in reference to the agreement between Zimbabwe's three major parties.
For me this was unusual of Tuku as over the years he would not be drawn into commenting on such issues.
But as he turned 56 he saw nothing wrong in issuing out a political statement, commending the three political parties for reaching a political settlement.
For an artiste of Tuku's stature, it was an indication that artistes do no live in a vacuum -- they are part of our society, and once in a while they add their voices to national issues.
Tuku is well travelled and internationally recognised. I would put him in the same league as Senegal's Youssou N'dour, Miriam "Mama Afrika" Makeba, Hugh Masekela and Salif Keita among others.
In short he's become a granddad -- musically and personally.
But again as Tuku gets older and mature there is one thing he enjoys doing most and that is being with young talents.
On several occasions he has vowed to continue singing "for as long as I still have breath in me".
Only this week he announced that he would be scaling down on public performances.
He said: "Our customary United Kingdom Easter concerts that have seen Tuku touring the island for nearly two weeks will not happen in 2009.
"Tuku will be fulfilling his other international bookings across the world giving him more time to explore new frontiers," the statement says.
"I also need time to be at Pakare Paye Arts Centre to ensure that I help the centre grow artistically and fulfil the vision I have for the place. But as things stand, I have been hardly home, always in and out."
Yes, this is not retirement but he now wants to focus his attention on developing talent at Pakare Paye Arts Centre.
The institution has been without him for several months year in and year out as he concentrated on touring the world.
But he is now saying enough of that I should be home. Honestly, such decisions are not easy to make but it is understandable coming as it does from a musician like Tuku. Remember how he is coping with diabetes.
The world over, superstars do not perform week in week out. They starve their fans and then perform one major show, which is attended by tens of thousands of fans.
Tuku could be taking this route and it appears those youths at his arts academy will stand to benefit from his wisdom and experience.
Tuku has not only built an institution, but he has become an institution and whatever he says, we hope the youths will listen.
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