'Music is for vagrants' comment angers Zakaria

VETERAN sungura music gaffer, Nicholas Zakaria is set to launch his 27th album in South Africa barely three months after his former band member and musical sibling, Alick Macheso launched his much- marketed album, Tsoka dzerwendo.

The album launch is slated for Briston Town Hall on 29 July, and a day later at Ekurhuleni Boksburg Hotel in North West province. In an interview with Sunday Life, Zakaria said he was rehearsing on the tracks ahead of the launch.

"You know as big people we need to produce quality products so that they have some punch to fans both at home and in South Africa," he said, refusing to disclose the name of the album.

The sungura godfather revealed that despite starting his own band back in 1984 and having been in the industry since 1975, he has nothing to show in the music industry.

"It's not about the period you are in music but what you have to show of it. I had to do other things like buying houses and to have cars as expected of a family man and meeting other competing priorities," he said, adding that he is worried about the depth of his band.

Zakaria bemoaned high levels of piracy in the country.

"My vision is to have a full orchestra with more instruments and many band members, like how the Rhumba guys do. Lack of sponsors and piracy have contributed to my incapacity to have the necessary depth on my band," he said.

An orchestra is a group of musicians who play together on a variety of instruments, which usually comes from all four instruments, like brass, percussion, strings and woodwinds. A typical symphony orchestra is made up of more than 90 people.

The Khiama Boys' leader who once traded guitars for the steering wheel back in 1997 said his woes in the music industry are far from over.

"In Zimbabwe we do not have businesspeople who sponsor music as they do other things like soccer. People still have the perception that music is meant for vagrants. I once left music and started driving trucks and recently I contemplated to go for buses but my peers prevented me from doing so because they still have high expectations from me," he said.

Zakaria believes that musicians themselves have better ideas to stop piracy.

"Things are hard these days and this is the opportunity to stop piracy. There is no need for everyone to purchase discs outside the country. People with recording studios should be the only ones licenced to purchase discs, not everyone as is the case. If the authorities could hear our plight and give us a chance piracy can be a thing of the past," he quipped.

The sungura godfather who had publicly denounced his other epithet "Madzibaba'' which was a penchant to his stardom, preferring to be called, "Mwana wemuporofita'', now that he has joined the popular prophet Magaya's praise and worship team said his South Africa tour had been facilitated by what he described as a good promoter.

PKY July promotions, proprietor Phakama Nkomo who will be hosting the group said everything is well in place for the sungura godfather.

"We believe in him as one of the founders of sungura music. He will be touring South Africa in July celebrating the launch of his 27th album. We will be celebrating the legend's achievements and giving a special treat to his South African fans," said Nkomo.