Published by the government of Zimbabwe
27 February 2009
Harare — More than 10 works of Chimurenga music maestro Thomas Mapfumo were on Wednesday featured at the Mbira Society of Zimbabwe as part of commemorations to mark the Black History Month.
Jeff Warara, the co-ordinator of Mbira Society, said they chose Mapfumo's songs because of his enormous contribution to the growth of Zimbabwean music.
"Thomas Mapfumo contributed to the growth of Chimurenga Music thus making him a desired candidate."
As part of showcasing his works, Prince Edward Boys High and Roosevelt Girls High school performed 10 of Mapfumo's songs.
Other artistes who performed at the jam included Tonderai Mbira Dzechinyakare and Hunters Mbira.
Ishmael Mafuka also presented his article on Mapfumo, which he wrote, apart from a discussion on Mapfumo's life history, his music, achievements and writings.
The Black History month is an annual event in memory of the late Martin Luther King Jr, among other black luminaries who spearheaded the emancipation of black people the world over.
Warara said they adopted this idea applying it to the Zimbabwean context and featuring Mapfumo's songs was one way of honouring the artiste.
Mapfumo's musical career spans over 30 years and he has released a number of albums that did not only do well in the country, but also internationally.
Affectionately known by his fans as Mukanya, Mapfumo who is in self-imposed exile in the United States, is accredited for making the Chimurenga rhythm a household name.
Some of Mapfumo's hits include Jojo, Nyarara Mukadzi Wangu, Corruption, Temerina, Nyoka Musango, Joyce and Ngoma Yekwedu.
Born in Marondera in 1945, Mapfumo joined his first band, the Zutu Brothers at the age of 16.
From then, he was always in one band or the other, sometimes doing odd jobs on the side as well, including chicken farming, hence the name of his 1972 band, the Hallelujah Chicken Run Band.
He played mostly cover versions of American rock and soul tunes until he was in the Hallelujah Chicken Run Band.
He introduced the innovation of adapting traditional Shona music to modern rock instrumentation, giving birth to Chimurenga music.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 The Herald. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
