Harare — One of the few female bassists in Zimbabwe -- Edith Katiji -- has unleashed her first album titled Utonga which means dawn.

Combining a few of the music styles that influence her, like chimurenga, jiti and Shona traditional folklore, Edith WeUtonga brings out a not so new sound on this album but rather a fresh one that is heavy and pleasantly uplifting.

She concentrated on the basics of music -- not trying to be complicated -- but brings out a sound that is friendly to the ear as well as the heart.

The tunes are enjoyable, the lyrics meaningful while the music is deep and the beat danceable. Most of the songs border on catchy sing-along lines.

The 10-track album carries such tracks as Chipendani which takes one to a dreamy sunset where the approaching night holds fits of unending pleasures and joys of music as a musician goes to work.

It is definitely a song for the "song-master", or in this case "mistress".

Hutungamiri is a classic that urges all leaders -- whether in the home, Church, communities or even at political level -- to take heed of the fact that they have followers to whom they have to lead by example.

It urges us to be sensitive to those whom we lead, lest we look back at them one day and find them gone.

A special one for the mothers is Amai, where Edith advises children against insulting or beating up their mothers as this will only serve to bring ill-luck upon themselves.

In Chipo, Edith says we are all born literally clutching at our talents and since they are God given, we should use them.

Another one for the females is "Nhaka", which takes a swipe at unruly elements in extended families who pounce on a poor widow after the passing of her spouse and leave her with nothing.

"Mukaranga" is Edith's own version on the folk character of Mukaranga -- the woman who has been sung about since time immemorial by artists such as Thomas Mapfumo, Dumi & Chiwoniso Maraire and Ephat Mujuru.

In her own danceable version with new lyrics, Edith urges Mukaranga to be strong and industrious in working for her family so that her husband, children and relatives will be proud and satisfied by her efforts.

"Taisireva" is a song where a voice justifies its prophecy of the end times in which we seem to be living.

The voice - of an elderly person tired of this world - begs to be spared of the ill that characterises our lives today.

Although these somewhat dark lyrics ride on a danceable beat, the song still retains a sombre outlook. "Agodoka" begins on a mellow note as Edith advises against greed and envy. She says to envy only serves to bring sorrow and heartache to the beholder.

The song explains itself in two phrases then turns out to be a dance-tune afterwards with a catchy chorus. The acoustic and 'unplugged' Stone Child completes the set on this album.

Stone Child is a song inspired by real life as Edith bemoans irresponsible parents who abandon their children at infancy only to resurface in their lives at a later stage when the kids are prospering in life. She says if you rejected your child before leave them alone to enjoy the 'fruits of their labour.

The album is rich and balanced with songs that touch on our everyday lives. The instrumentation is masterly handled, and so is the arrangement. With a voice so rich in texture and powerful, Edith is on the threshold of wide success, around the country, the region and indeed the world.

'Utonga' is co-produced by Edith WeUtonga and Isheunopa Jere, the versatile keyboard player who doubles as the band's music director too.

It was recorded at MFD's Mopani Post Studios in Harare and engineered and mixed by Tamie Bimha with the veteran Bothwell Nyamhondera.

The master was done in South Africa by another veteran engineer, Peter Thwaites who has been around since the late 70's and is credited with recording and mastering such yesteryear greats as Jonny Clegg with both Juluka and Savhuka as well as many other international bands.

Edith is a self-taught female bassist and vocalist fronting the band calling itself Utonga.

She began her career in the late 90's while performing with the Army Band at Brady Barracks in Bulawayo where her father who was serving in the army was stationed.

She later played with a couple of jazz groups including Siyeza Jazz led by Southern Freeway co-founder Handsome Mabhiza and 5-Fold led by the man who featured on the lead guitar on this debut album, Hudson Simbarashe.

However, it was at Amakhosi Township Square that she matured as a musician. This was in the all female 'jazz' group Amakhosikazi. She led the vocals and composed most of the songs. Her fortunes were to change when she took up playing the bass guitar - taking advantage of musical instruments that were always lying around the rehearsal room at Amakhosi.

Six months from her first encounter with bass guitar, Edith suddenly found herself having to double up as the bassist and lead vocalist for the all female outfit when they relocated to Harare as some key band members were unable to move.

As fate would have it, the depleted Amakhosikazi did not last long after that as some members opted out - to pursue other ventures as the economic crunch began to be felt in the country.

Edith persevered and founded a new band So What?

With So What? Edith played extensively in the club scene of Harare, and were regulars at The Book Cafe and Mannenberg Jazz Club. In fact it was at the Book Cafe that Edith put together the group that stands today as Utonga.

It was during one of the monthly open mic sessions for females called "Sistaz Open Mic", that Edith identified the four females that dominate and form the core of Utonga; Rumbidzai Tapfuma (Mbira and Percussion), Fatima Katiji (Vocals) and Tariro Ruzvidzo rhythm/acoustic guitar.

To this end Edith is proud to be one of very few active female bassists in the country - and maybe on the continent.

She is determined to play the instrument as well as she knows how and those who seek the feminism in it may as well look elsewhere as there is only musicianship in her strum.