Zim gospel music loses glamour Mechanic Manyeruke
Mechanic Manyeruke

Mechanic Manyeruke

Lovemore Chikova
There was a time when gospel music was the in-thing in Zimbabwe and one of the popular genres, attracting thousands to shows. I remember with nostalgia the Ngaavongwe series of shows that were being organised by Elias Musakwa, himself a gospel musician.

The shows used to attract thousands of revellers and at one point an estimated 5 000 gospel music lovers thronged the Harare Gardens for one such shows.

The Harare Gardens show had an array of local musicians, with Rebecca Malope from South Africa being the main act.

The Nguva Yakwana annual shows organised by Ivy Kombo and company where a number of musicians would perform at a single show were also equally popular.

Even musicians like Pastor Charles Charamba and the Fishers of Men used to have packed venues for their shows.

But it seems that time is now gone, not many people bother to attend an exclusively gospel music show anymore.

I have in the past few years talked to many gospel music lovers who are apprehensive about the way the genre appears to be slowly losing its grip.

It has become obvious that gospel music followers have been starved, especially when it comes to songs that can capture their imagination

We were used to having gospel songs that dominated the charts and would compete with secular productions for attention. But those who have been following the gospel music genre can testify that gone are the days when gospel music used to turns heads.

The increasing number of joint shows with secular musicians clearly shows that gospel musicians need to up their game to be able to hold fort on their own.

It is time that gospel musicians took a hard look at themselves and examined why their music now seems to be losing appeal.

I have noticed that the problem can be traced to the evolution of gospel music in Zimbabwe where at certain periods there were some musicians who unconsciously “killed” the music because of their attitude and poor work.

Veterans of Zimbabwean gospel music Jordan Chataika, Mechanic Manyeruke and Freedom Sengwayo quickly evolved into icons and helped put the genre on the map from the 1970s.

They were later joined by the likes of the Family Singers and Brian Sibalo.

While Sibalo is now late, the Family Singers, led by Ambassador Jonathan Wutawunashe and his wife Shuvai, has just gone quite.

Then there was the era dominated by groups such as Charles Charamba and the Fishers of Men, Mahendere Brothers, Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave, Elias Musakwa, Gospel Power, Pastor Lawrence Haisa, Shingisai Suluma, Pastor Chakanetsa Bandimba of the Jesu Dombo fame and the inimitable EGEA Gospel Train.

During this time there were also one-album wonder singers who tried their hands at the genre.

Then came a new generation of gospel musicians from around 2004 which I accredit for taking gospel music down the drain and the mess we are in. In a bid to get quick bucks and some fame, this new crop of gospel singers threw all caution to the wind and forgot that creativity is the mainstay of music.

Gospel music rhythms suddenly became computer generated. That feel of the lead guitar, the thumbing bass line and the scintillating drums was no more.

When it came to live shows these gospel musicians were found to be flat, specialising mainly in playing CDs and sometimes going to the extent of lip syncing. This was a generation of gospel musicians which included the likes of Olinda Marowa, Rumbie Zvirikuzhe, Bethan Pasinawako, Kudzie Nyakudya, Pastor G and Mercy Mutsvene.

All of a sudden, centuries old hymns were being recycled as creativity seemed to desert the singers.

This new generation of musicians adopted the South African gospel music feel, abandoning the traditional local beat that appeals more to the people.

At the end, their work simply became imitations.

Perhaps this explains why we still have the likes of Pastor Charamba still dominating the gospel music scene more than a decade after his first release. What is needed is to go back to the basics and make gospel music rich, harmonious and deliberately stimulating.

We need to realign and rethink on the importance of gospel music in Zimbabwe, for it is not only music that can be enjoyed by the ear or through dance.

It is music that brings joy and uplifts.

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