Entertainment / Music
Macheso is back!. . . with hit or miss album
20 Mar 2016 at 09:13hrs | Views
IT is finally here! Sungura king Alick Macheso's long-awaited 10th studio album hits the streets tomorrow.
No album of his has been anticipated or even desperately needed by his legion of fans like the forthcoming "Tsoka DzeRwendo".
The sungura virtuoso stands on a precipice where he must jump trusting that his musical parachute will work and see him land safely.
His last offering "Kwatakabva Mitunhu", received a lukewarm response compared to his six previous releases: "Simbaradzo", "Zvakanaka Zvakadaro", "Zvido Zvenyu Kunyanya", "Vapupuri Pupurai", "Ndezvashe-h" and "Zvinoda Kutendwa".
His first two, "Magariro" and "Vakiridzo", were mere launch pads.
For the first time in a career spanning more than 15 years and nine albums, Macheso is about to unleash a product that has captured the interest of not just his fans, but of almost every music fan in the country.
And the artiste, also known as Baba Sharo, is not leaving anything to chance.
He desperately needs the album to breathe new life into his career, lest this becomes a case of him singing his own musical obituary.
Thus, for the first time in his career, Macheso has had to personally go to almost every radio station in the country boosting the hype around "Tsoka DzeRwendo". Also, the musician has enlisted the services of a reputable music promotion company, Jive Zimbabwe, for marketing and launching.
Jive Zimbabwe is the muscle behind the historic and highly successful launch of Jah Prayzah's albums "Kumbumura Mhute" (2014) and "Jerusarema" (2015) at Harare International Conference Centre.
Through Jive Zimbabwe, Macheso recently held his first ever Press conference to announce the release date for an album.
He will hold his debut album launch on Thursday, March 24 at HICC.
The Easter Eve gig will be Macheso's last gig in the capital before he embarks on an extensive country-wide promotional tour. After that, the sungura maestro will take the new project to the diaspora.
Encouraging for Macheso's camp is that excitement has indeed been created and is growing.
The market is increasingly eager to hear what Macheso has brewed for what could be a make-or-break project for the veteran.
A confident Baba Sharo believes that "Tsoka DzeRwendo" will indeed be a massive success.
"I have taken time to study the market before and during the time I was preparing the album. The tracks I included on the project are results of my findings and I'm certain their spark will get the engine running. Tiri kuti bhodho riya ratanga tiri kukanga raibva, huyai museve (we are saying what we have been cooking is ready, come eat)," said an enthusiastic Baba Sharo.
"Since we took time in coming up with this album, the various people working with us thought it wise that we come up with a different approach hence the first ever Press conference and album launch. The standards are now high and it's game on.
"Tsoka DzeRwendo" has six tracks; namely "Wandirangaridza", "Baba", "Kurarama Inyasha", "Munyaradzi", "Mude Mude" and "Gungwa".
Basing on various interviews, the talented vocalist and bass guitarist is pinning his hopes mainly on "Wandirangaridza", "Gungwa" and "Munyaradzi".
Just like in his last release "Kwatakabva Mitunhu", Macheso produced his own music on the forthcoming project. Baba Sharo also cleared the air on former band members that are reported to have featured on the project.
"It is only Obert (Gomba) who asked to play on some of the tracks and I let him do so. But the likes of Jonas Kasamba and Noel Nyazanda that I have been spending a lot of time with these days did not participate on this project - they will do so in the future," said Macheso.
Jive Zimbabwe said all was set for the official unveiling of "Tsoka DzeRwendo".
"This is the first time that the Sungura King is officially launching his album. We want his fans and all music lovers to come and be part of the day. We have a lot of surprises in store for the day. The must attend launch is going to be historic in every sense," said Jive Zimbabwe director Benjamin Nyandoro.
"After the launch Macheso will embark on a country-wide tour that will see him perform in different provinces around the country. After that, he will go on an international tour as a response to calls from those in the diaspora."
At least 40 000 Zimbabwe Red Cross volunteers and Nash Paints outlets are set to take part in the vending of Macheso's album. Jive Zimbabwe will sell the music online.
Macheso's team is targeting to sell not less than 500 000 CDs in one week. A percentage of the proceeds will go towards Red Cross humanitarian projects.
The Zimbabwe Red Cross Ambassador burst onto the musical fray as a solo artiste in 1998, and he also promotes Nash Paints' products.
. . . with hit or miss album
Garikai Mazara
IT is not often, in fact, it is unheard of, that an obituary can be penned for a living soul. A living musician.
But all that is likely to change this week with the release of Alick Macheso's hugely anticipated tenth album, "Tsoka DzeRwendo".
There is a general feeling that if Macheso got his recipe wrong in the upcoming album, then it is time to write him off our music scene.
His last release before this was a lukewarm effort, which failed to convince even his die-hard fans, an effort that many might have blamed on the upheavals going on in his life that time.
It should not be lost on readers that Macheso's last album coincided with the departure of the core of his backing musicians, ostensibly for greener pastures, though it was a public secret that their departure was more to do with the over-bearing character of one Tafadzwa Mapako, the now estranged Macheso second wife, who "ran things" both home and away.
Now with Tafadzwa out of the picture, Orchestra Mberikwazvo re-grouped and re-energised. There is little or no room for any excuses but to please sungura fans who have waited close to half-a-decade for a delivery from someone they believe is the messiah of the genre.
The expectation upon Macheso becomes even more compounded given the theory by some, especially those who loyally followed the late Tongai Moyo, that the death of the Kwekwe-based musician was, in a way, the death of sungura. Since Dhewa passed away, the sungura scene has been quieter, hence Macheso's last lukewarm offering, this school of thought argues.
The death of Tongai Moyo has seen Macheso being reduced to battling with Johnnies-come-late like Jah Prayzah and Suluman Chimbetu, both just old enough to be his sons. And that the two young musicians have not only gone to eclipse Macheso in every manner possible — from the awards podium to the live shows — has not escaped the attention of Macheso's die-hard fans, who still believe that the self-proclaimed king of sungura still has something to offer.
Which makes tomorrow HUGELY (caps is for emphasis) anticipated album all the more defining for Macheso's career. If he gets the notes right, then he should move up the pecking order and compete rightly with Oliver Mtukudzi, the grand-dad of local music.
On the other hand, which is not to be anticipated, if Macheso took his fans for a ride, on the assumption that he made his name decades ago, and whatever offering he delivers, however baked, his fans will take in — then he should be in for some rude awakening.
With dancehall musicians releasing songs almost every minute, the sungura genre has, for the greater part of the past decade, been hard-pressed for something fresh, something tantalizing to the taste buds.
And that opportunity is tomorrow, the defining moment for Alick Macheso, his backing Orchestra Mberikwazvo and his legion of fans.
Early birds will have an opportunity to listen to the album on Star FM at 5am tomorrow morning, with the artiste available to receive any praises or criticisms.
But by end of week - and if we want to be generous - by end of day, Alick Macheso is what we should be hearing in all the kombis around town. And in the shops. And at the bottle stores. In fact, anywhere and everywhere.
Short of that, this time next week, we will be writing the epitaphs to Macheso's music career. The fans have waited long enough - and they deserve better.
No album of his has been anticipated or even desperately needed by his legion of fans like the forthcoming "Tsoka DzeRwendo".
The sungura virtuoso stands on a precipice where he must jump trusting that his musical parachute will work and see him land safely.
His last offering "Kwatakabva Mitunhu", received a lukewarm response compared to his six previous releases: "Simbaradzo", "Zvakanaka Zvakadaro", "Zvido Zvenyu Kunyanya", "Vapupuri Pupurai", "Ndezvashe-h" and "Zvinoda Kutendwa".
His first two, "Magariro" and "Vakiridzo", were mere launch pads.
For the first time in a career spanning more than 15 years and nine albums, Macheso is about to unleash a product that has captured the interest of not just his fans, but of almost every music fan in the country.
And the artiste, also known as Baba Sharo, is not leaving anything to chance.
He desperately needs the album to breathe new life into his career, lest this becomes a case of him singing his own musical obituary.
Thus, for the first time in his career, Macheso has had to personally go to almost every radio station in the country boosting the hype around "Tsoka DzeRwendo". Also, the musician has enlisted the services of a reputable music promotion company, Jive Zimbabwe, for marketing and launching.
Jive Zimbabwe is the muscle behind the historic and highly successful launch of Jah Prayzah's albums "Kumbumura Mhute" (2014) and "Jerusarema" (2015) at Harare International Conference Centre.
Through Jive Zimbabwe, Macheso recently held his first ever Press conference to announce the release date for an album.
He will hold his debut album launch on Thursday, March 24 at HICC.
The Easter Eve gig will be Macheso's last gig in the capital before he embarks on an extensive country-wide promotional tour. After that, the sungura maestro will take the new project to the diaspora.
Encouraging for Macheso's camp is that excitement has indeed been created and is growing.
The market is increasingly eager to hear what Macheso has brewed for what could be a make-or-break project for the veteran.
A confident Baba Sharo believes that "Tsoka DzeRwendo" will indeed be a massive success.
"I have taken time to study the market before and during the time I was preparing the album. The tracks I included on the project are results of my findings and I'm certain their spark will get the engine running. Tiri kuti bhodho riya ratanga tiri kukanga raibva, huyai museve (we are saying what we have been cooking is ready, come eat)," said an enthusiastic Baba Sharo.
"Since we took time in coming up with this album, the various people working with us thought it wise that we come up with a different approach hence the first ever Press conference and album launch. The standards are now high and it's game on.
"Tsoka DzeRwendo" has six tracks; namely "Wandirangaridza", "Baba", "Kurarama Inyasha", "Munyaradzi", "Mude Mude" and "Gungwa".
Basing on various interviews, the talented vocalist and bass guitarist is pinning his hopes mainly on "Wandirangaridza", "Gungwa" and "Munyaradzi".
Just like in his last release "Kwatakabva Mitunhu", Macheso produced his own music on the forthcoming project. Baba Sharo also cleared the air on former band members that are reported to have featured on the project.
"It is only Obert (Gomba) who asked to play on some of the tracks and I let him do so. But the likes of Jonas Kasamba and Noel Nyazanda that I have been spending a lot of time with these days did not participate on this project - they will do so in the future," said Macheso.
"This is the first time that the Sungura King is officially launching his album. We want his fans and all music lovers to come and be part of the day. We have a lot of surprises in store for the day. The must attend launch is going to be historic in every sense," said Jive Zimbabwe director Benjamin Nyandoro.
"After the launch Macheso will embark on a country-wide tour that will see him perform in different provinces around the country. After that, he will go on an international tour as a response to calls from those in the diaspora."
At least 40 000 Zimbabwe Red Cross volunteers and Nash Paints outlets are set to take part in the vending of Macheso's album. Jive Zimbabwe will sell the music online.
Macheso's team is targeting to sell not less than 500 000 CDs in one week. A percentage of the proceeds will go towards Red Cross humanitarian projects.
The Zimbabwe Red Cross Ambassador burst onto the musical fray as a solo artiste in 1998, and he also promotes Nash Paints' products.
. . . with hit or miss album
Garikai Mazara
IT is not often, in fact, it is unheard of, that an obituary can be penned for a living soul. A living musician.
But all that is likely to change this week with the release of Alick Macheso's hugely anticipated tenth album, "Tsoka DzeRwendo".
There is a general feeling that if Macheso got his recipe wrong in the upcoming album, then it is time to write him off our music scene.
His last release before this was a lukewarm effort, which failed to convince even his die-hard fans, an effort that many might have blamed on the upheavals going on in his life that time.
It should not be lost on readers that Macheso's last album coincided with the departure of the core of his backing musicians, ostensibly for greener pastures, though it was a public secret that their departure was more to do with the over-bearing character of one Tafadzwa Mapako, the now estranged Macheso second wife, who "ran things" both home and away.
Now with Tafadzwa out of the picture, Orchestra Mberikwazvo re-grouped and re-energised. There is little or no room for any excuses but to please sungura fans who have waited close to half-a-decade for a delivery from someone they believe is the messiah of the genre.
The expectation upon Macheso becomes even more compounded given the theory by some, especially those who loyally followed the late Tongai Moyo, that the death of the Kwekwe-based musician was, in a way, the death of sungura. Since Dhewa passed away, the sungura scene has been quieter, hence Macheso's last lukewarm offering, this school of thought argues.
The death of Tongai Moyo has seen Macheso being reduced to battling with Johnnies-come-late like Jah Prayzah and Suluman Chimbetu, both just old enough to be his sons. And that the two young musicians have not only gone to eclipse Macheso in every manner possible — from the awards podium to the live shows — has not escaped the attention of Macheso's die-hard fans, who still believe that the self-proclaimed king of sungura still has something to offer.
Which makes tomorrow HUGELY (caps is for emphasis) anticipated album all the more defining for Macheso's career. If he gets the notes right, then he should move up the pecking order and compete rightly with Oliver Mtukudzi, the grand-dad of local music.
On the other hand, which is not to be anticipated, if Macheso took his fans for a ride, on the assumption that he made his name decades ago, and whatever offering he delivers, however baked, his fans will take in — then he should be in for some rude awakening.
With dancehall musicians releasing songs almost every minute, the sungura genre has, for the greater part of the past decade, been hard-pressed for something fresh, something tantalizing to the taste buds.
And that opportunity is tomorrow, the defining moment for Alick Macheso, his backing Orchestra Mberikwazvo and his legion of fans.
Early birds will have an opportunity to listen to the album on Star FM at 5am tomorrow morning, with the artiste available to receive any praises or criticisms.
But by end of week - and if we want to be generous - by end of day, Alick Macheso is what we should be hearing in all the kombis around town. And in the shops. And at the bottle stores. In fact, anywhere and everywhere.
Short of that, this time next week, we will be writing the epitaphs to Macheso's music career. The fans have waited long enough - and they deserve better.
Source - sundamail
