Harare — SUPERSTAR and Black Spirits frontman Oliver Mtukudzi has said music collaborations are healthy, as artistes forge close alliances as well as with the fans.

Tuku was speaking at the launch of the Italian International Jazz Festival in Harare last week.

Music collaborations, Tuku said, enabled artistes to share their experiences.

"Through collaboration artistes come close to each other and learn new things from each other. In other words I can say they are healthy not only to musicians, but to fans as well," he said

Tuku said he learnt a new approach to music from the visiting Italian jazz band called Italia Jazz All Stars at a workshop held at the Mannen-berg.

Tuku expressed pleasure in working with Italian Jazz All Stars band and hoped that he would learn more from them.

Tuku is among musicians from Zimbabwe who performed at the concert that featured the likes of Dudu Manhenga, his son Sam and Italia Jazz All Stars.

Dudu echoed the same sentiments saying the fusion of different genres brought out the best in artistes.

"During the process we learn from each other and I am happy to say that I learnt new techniques.

"People may want to ask why the show is on a Tuesday, let me say that there is a new culture whereby we perform at any other day and as musicians we work everyday," she said.

Tuku has done a number of collaborations with both Zimbabwean and foreign artistes who play different genres.

Locally, he did some collaboration with young urban grooves artistes like ExQ, gospel diva Fungisai Zvakava-pano- Mashavave among others.

He also did collaborations with South African jazz musician Ringo Madlingozi on the chart topper Into Yami.