Jazz Festival honours lifetime achievers

SENIOR citizen Lina Mattaka got a standing ovation at the glittering inaugural Harare Jazz Festival Lifetime Achievement Awards on Thursday night.

Now 88 years old, Gogo Mattaka's claim to fame started as far back as the 1930s when she paved the way for women to take up music as a career.

At that time, performing arts were regarded as no go area for most African women but through her determination, women became a force to reckon with.

Accepting the award, Gogo Mattaka who was accompanied at the function by some of her several grandchildren, including Tatenda Vengesayi who is now a musician, paid tribute to her fans and late husband Kenneth, who was her source of inspiration.

"I am grateful for the support that I got from fans and I thank the organisers for making this a reality," she said.

According to a book by Joyce Jenje-Makwenda on township music, Gogo Mattaka is a trailblazing pioneer of women's creativity and participation in Zimbabwe's music industry.

"She is a celebrated soprano and organ player who started her career in Bulawayo in the 1930s. This was a period when society frowned upon women who entered the music industry and performed in public, outside of church and traditional ceremonies.

"Through her determination and hard work she helped change society's attitudes and perceptions, opening doors for today's female musicians.

"Lina entered the music scene as a musician in her own right. She was part of the groups The Bantu Glee Singers, The Queen of Soprano and she later joined her husband, the late Kenneth Mattaka in The Bantu Actors," writes Jenje-Makwenda.

Gogo Mattaka was honoured alongside other pioneers of the genre including Dorothy Masuka, the Cool Crooners and veteran disc jockey Hilton "Dr Bhobho" Mambo.

Masuka or simply Auntie Dot to her adoring fans has a strong influence and impact regionally and internationally through her music. She was born in Zimbabwe in 1935 of a Zambian father and a Zulu mother. Auntie Dot's music was popular right from the 1950s and some of her recent albums include Lendaba (Gallo Records 2003), The Definitive Collection (Wrasse Records 2002), Mzilikazi (Gallo Records 2001), Magumede (CA Records 1998), Hamba Notsokolo (Gallo Records 1995) and Pata Pata (Mango 1990).

The Cool Crooners of Bulawayo are an internationally acclaimed group of vocalists who took Zimbabwean township music to the world.

Their laid back, cool sound is uniquely Zimbabwean and it captured the hearts of many jazz enthusiasts around the world.