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Paradzai Mesi on sleeve of the album “Zvave Muropa”

Tawanda Marwizi : Arts Correspondent

Njerama Boys were one of the sungura groups that made a mark for a few years, but failed to keep their momentum. The group, led by Paradzai Mesi, managed to steal hearts of many music lovers though they failed to keep their brand on top. After many years in hibernation, the group resurfaced at Jam Session at City Sports Bar on Monday when they staged a good performance that took people to the band’s good old days.Mesi is now a farmer in Chiweshe, but whereabouts of original members of the band could not be ascertained.

The performance of yesteryear hits proved that Njerama Boys can still make a mark in the music industry.

Their name originated from Njerama Mountains few kilometres from Mavhuradonha Mountains in Muzarabani where they started their career.

When the band was formed in 1997 they played at local shopping centres in Muzarabani until they decided to record their first album.

According to Mesi, they wrote a letter to Gramma Records in 2000 intending to record.

Unfortunately that is the time when their area was affected by Cyclone Eline and they lost communication with the recording company.

“It took us time to get response from Gramma because all communication systems were affected by the cylone,” said Mesi.

Overwhelmed by the response in their area they decided to make a follow up to Gramma records.

“The response was overwhelming in Muzarabani and we felt we needed to record an album. We had to walk from our area to Muzarabani growth point where we could connect to Harare” he said.

On their way to the popular growth point they met three gentleman looking for Njerama Boys.

“We were lucky to meet Bothwell Nyamhondera and his crew and we had our first auditions under a baobab tree. He was not convinced then and gave us some notes,” he said.

That same month they went to Harare and record their first album “Zaru” in 2000.

It was their following album “Zviripachena” that brought glory to the group.

Following the success of the their second album they recorded other albums “Pane Chariuraya”, “Goneso”, “Masimba Towedzera”, “Zvavemuropa”,”Kambairai” and “Nguva” among others.

Sixteen years down the line since the formation of the group, everything is now history.

But Mesi insists that he is still in the game and he has more albums to come.

“I have been balancing music and farming since the formation of the group.

“Promoters are shunning us thinking we are no longer into music, but we are still in the business and we are working on new albums,” he said.

Mesi said he was making some efforts to reclaim his lost glory.