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. . . Sulu’s new album calls for celebration
Godwin Muzari Arts Editor —
Suluman Chimbetu was right in changing the name of his album from the initially-suggested title “Havasi Kutiziva” to “Jamboree”. Despite various moods and themes compressed in the 10-track release, the ultimate feeling that “Jamboree” will breed is celebration.

After a few weeks, Sulu will celebrate success of an album that has come at a time when competition in mainstream genres was diminishing at an alarming level.

After attending a few shows, dendera fans will celebrate the coming of an album with so much variety, albeit in the same bracket of their favourite genre that was beginning to lose popularity despite coming from a family that has churned out a record number of musicians in the land.

After attending a few shows, neutral music followers are likely to endorse “Jamboree” as the best album of 2016. What’s in a name? Indeed, “Jamboree” will bring together all these celebrations, not because it is titled as such, but it is a good album.

It seems when Sulu gave fans a teaser with “Just Singles” last year, he had bigger plans of ushering them into 2016 festive season in a special way.

That the album was done at his Cockpit Studios show that The Captain, as Sulu is popularly known, was steering something bigger than “Gunship” (his previous album) in the cockpit.

On “Jamboree” Sulu shows his maturity in dendera. After experimenting with various sounds that can go with the genre, the musician seems to have found a common ground for his signature style.

Although he continues with experiments and fuses different feels on the song “It’s Not Necessary” and remixes of “Error” and “Alice Mbewe”, the other tracks say his big statement about dendera.

The emphatic-yet-laid-back bass guitar, the sharp lead guitar and two rhythm guitars that complement each other in the background dominate the album. Sulu’s acoustic guitar comes in here and there to give flair to the release while a trumpet features on the last song of the album to show versatility.

“Alice Mbewe” is likely to be the most popular song on the album. It is based on a true story of a child who got lost at a show, but the lyrics are broad and speak to the general relationship between mothers and their children.

It is about the emotions that are common among children that lose their mothers. It may also be linked to baby-dumping and how some people rescue desperate children. The song is mainly hinged to negligence that comes with careless merry-making.

Besides the exciting beat, the song’s popularity will also spring from the sing-along chorus … “aripo arasa mwana/ Alice arasa mwana/ Sudza nonga mwana…”

“Tiringwe” is about how God looks after His people and Sulu says the Lord has been faithful in his life. He asks for more grace, citing how he works every day and travels across the country using roads that have claimed many lives through accidents.

It is about the importance of toiling hard to fend for families. A sing-long chorus which goes: “Tirimo tirimo/ Varimo varimo/ Murimo murimo” is likely to make the song another favourite at live shows.

“Mhasuru” is another potential hit. The song discourages violence and calls for peace in various sectors. Sulu discourages bouncers and security personnel from taking advantage of their positions to cause violence.

He sings about how peace-keepers get respect because of their calculated approach to various situations.

In the traditional dendera way, Sulu fuses Shona and Chewa lyrics on “Chirombo” that is about hunger. He likens hunger to a dangerous pest that can destroy families and nations.

He sings about how simple remedies like roasting maize for a meal can give energy to individuals in desperate situations.

“Error “discourages people from being big-headed. He cites an example of a man who decides to pursue a way with many obstacles after refusing to take advice and tells him to learn from others.

On “Moses” the musician calls for redemption from a curse that has hit a family while “It’s Not Necessary” and remixes for “Alice Mbewe” and “Error” bring different beats to the album. People will be celebrating with “Jamboree” this festive season.