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Fred Zindi Music
SAM MATAURE is a drummer, a band manager and an experienced musician who has travelled the world, but above all, he is a shrewd businessman. He has used his experiences in travel to come up with concepts that will market Oliver Mtukudzi. Josh Hozheri, Chipaz Promotions and Ghetto Fabulous have all tried it before but Sam will not allow them to overtake him in music promotion. After all, he works on a daily basis with Oliver Mtukudzi. So the latest concept is an in-house thing as Sam hosts a Mtukudzi Tribute concert this Friday.

As a mark of respect and affection to Oliver, Sam has gathered this concept from several such events around the world.  I was watching a “Tribute to Eddy Murphy” concert on telly the other day and thought how wonderful it is for the Americans to recognise one of their own and remind him of his achievements while he is still alive.

One could tell that Eddy Murphy was delighted when this was done.  Sam, with his partner, Munya Simango, through his Harare Jazz Festival is doing the same for Oliver Mtukudzi.

Sam humbly puts across his concept as follows: “In most cases, tributes are usually done when one has passed on but we as Harare Jazz Festival in Partnership with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe decided to pay tribute to Oliver Mtukudzi during his lifetime in the small way that we can.”
Oliver Mtukudzi has achieved a lot during his 61 years of existence on this earth.

It is difficult in such a limited article to list all his achievements but recently during his tour of Europe and the US, Oliver was the featured artiste in Central Park at New York’s famous summer concert series.

He was inducted into the Summer Stage Hall of Fame.  He is now among the ilk of a long list of stars including Diana Ross and Beyonce, who have also performed at New York’s famous summer concert series in previous years.

Between 1999 and 2004, Tuku also performed or recorded with several other international artistes such as Ringo Madlingozi, Carlos Santana, Taj Mahal, Baaba Maal, Toumani Diabete, Judith Sephuma, Louis Mhlanga, Lucky Dube and several others.

Among his several achievements, Tuku began to construct Pakare Paye Arts Centre in 2004 near his home in Knowe, Norton, some 40 kilometres outside Harare.

The centre, which now has offices, a recording studio, Sam Mtukudzi Conference Centre, accommodation for over 50 delegates, a restaurant, a theatre auditorium and a concert venue, has expanded over the years.

It is at this centre that Tuku began to give Zimbabwean youngsters such as Munya Mataruse and Donald Kanyuchi opportunities to develop their own skills in music and drama, free of charge.

In 2006, Oliver became Zimbabwe’s patron to Umoja, an outfit which embraced young musicians and dancers from South Africa, Norway, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

It was through Umoja that he discovered musicians such as Charles Chipanga, Onai Mutizwa and Vimbai Zimuto. Tuku has also consistently balanced his musical career with his passion for film and drama. In addition to appearing in several documentaries on Zimbabwean music, including the BBC-produced “Under African Skies”, he also starred in “Jit”, the first film featuring an all Zimbabwean cast.

He also played a prominent role when he composed and arranged the soundtrack for Zimbabwe’s second film “Neria”.
His work earned an award for Best Soundtrack of 1992. Mtukudzi subsequently wrote and directed the musical of the film “Everyone’s Child” (which was based on the plight of streetchildren).

With the accompaniment of the Black Spirits, Mtukudzi continued to tour and record. In February 1994, he spent six months performing in Austria and Switzerland and in December, the same year, he shared a double bill with Lucky Dube at a concert in South Africa.

In 1997, Mtukudzi performed in Holland, Germany, Zimbabwe, and South Africa with Mahube, who are mainly South African musicians.
An album, “Mahube”, was released in October 1998.

Mtukudzi reached his commercial peak with the album “Tuku Music”, which spent over six weeks at the top of the CMJ New World Music charts.
The album was subsequently released in Zimbabwe by Zimbabwe Music Corporation, in South Africa by Sheer Sound, in Europe by Bleu and in the United Kingdom on the Connoisseur label.

During his spare time, Tuku would dedicate his services to the community by taking part in Aids awareness programmes as well as giving charity performances.

By the year 2004, Oliver had released 51 albums.  His 54th album, “Tsimba Itsoka” (which literally translates to “There is no footprint without the foot”) was released in 2007.

This coincided with a rather long tour of Western countries which included Australia, New Zealand, the United States of America and Britain between September and November.

Last year, he released his 60th album titled “Sarawoga” which was mainly dedicated to his son, the late Sam Mtukudzi. These are just some of Tuku’s numerous achievements. Zimbabwean international cultural icon Oliver Mtukudzi has performed, written and recorded some of the most heart-rending and influential music of our time.

His music touches people in many different ways; with strong social messages appealing for respect, restraint, tolerance, self-discipline, and peace among people of the world.

Given this, the tribute concert is a well deserved one. According to Sam Mataure, the concert is preceded by a tribute dinner on Thursday, September 26 at the Rainbow Towers Hotel and the guest of honour is none other than the famous Hugh Masekela.

Sam Mataure describes the event as follows: “This will be a high-profile, black tie, red carpet dinner gala complete with a limousine service for Tuku and VIPs.”

It is designed to capture the attention of all stakeholders locally and internationally through the effective use of traditional and new internet-based media.

Attendance to the event will be by invitation only, 450 guests from the corporate sector, the arts and culture sphere, Government and civic society will be invited.

Activities at the event will include performances from selected artistes and speeches from leading figures in society.
He goes on to say: “The Oliver Mtukudzi Tribute Concert will be held on Friday September 27, 2013.

“In order to facilitate the participation of a wider cross-section of society in the celebration of Tuku’s life and career achievements, we propose to manage an upmarket concert at the Harare International Conference Centre.

“The theme of the concert will be based on Oliver’s greatest hits, the songs that made the biggest impact on society,” said Mataure.
On the night Tuku will perform an all-hit concert that will feature some key musical collaborations from his illustrious career.

He will share the stage in collaborations with some of the biggest stars from the African continent including: Hugh Masekela, Judith Sephuma, and Steve Dyer from South Africa; Suzanna Awiyo and Erick Wainana (both Kenya) and Stewart Sukuma from Mozambique
In addition, the tribute concert will have a special section that will feature the best of Zimbabwe’s emerging musicians.

The young musicians were carefully selected for their star quality.  Each one of them will either perform a rendition of Tuku’s song or will do a duet with the superstar.

These singers include Beritta Khumalo, Prudence Katomeni-Mbofana, Prayer Soul, Alexio Kawara, and Tehn Diamond. Other singers slated to perform include Junior Brown, Family Voices, Ammara Brown, Cynthia Mare, Tariro neGitare, BaShupi, Jean Masters, Courtney Rusike, Tinashe Masawi and Munya Mataruse

The backing band comprises Enock Piroro on bass, Mono Mkundu on guitar, Strovers Maswobe on percussion, Mataure on drums, Jairos Hambahamba on keyboards.

Othnell “Mangoma” Moyo will play the percussion, whilst Fiona Gwena will be one of the backing vocalists together with Alice Muringayi and Tino Bimha.

The first set of the show will feature local guest artistes who will perform for Tuku as they pay tribute to him.  All songs performed that night are Oliver Mtukudzi songs sung by each guest artiste.

The second set will feature Oliver Mtukudzi and the Black Spirits performing a hit jam-packed set that will feature some of the former Black Spirits members who will be available to perform on that night! Other guests will also feature on this set!

It promises to be a fantastic rocking night!

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