Dance & music audition!!
An unforgettable intimate night with Hope
Hope Masike performs at HIFA 2009
We went. We saw. We were enthralled. Hope Masike neKakuwe’s launch of their debut album was a thrilling experience and helped remind all in attendance that a truly remarkable talent is being born in our midst. The album, simply called Hope, was launched on Friday evening at the Delta Gallery Amphitheatre in Harare on Friday, 8 May 2009 in one of the most well- thought out, creative and well- organised functions by a local artiste.
That Masike had invested her passion and enthusiasm into the occasion was obvious right from the entrance leading into the Delta Gallery premises. On hand to welcome guests with audacious fire eating and juggling antics was a gifted performer whose offering was harbinger of the general ambiance of the whole evening. Spectacle and creative genius were on hand. The pathway was imaginatively lit with a transcendal glow from candles in coloured holders, as if they ethereal lanterns welcoming guests to another world, an enchanting world full of charm and wonder.
This enthralling theme of charm and magic was carried on the amphitheatre itself where the surprisingly huge multi- racial audience who had come to bear witness to what many of us have known all along, Hope Masike neKakuwe are no fly- by night artistes. Rather this eclectic young band is made up of a rare breed of gifted, committed and passionate music virtuosos destined to take their craft to dizzy heights both at home and abroad. Read more
Alick Macheso and Stardom
From a distance, it would seem like Alick Macheso, the king of sungura music, fast-tracked his way to stardom. To many, Macheso came onto the scene in 1998, with his debut album Magariro, which carried Pakutema Munda, probably the most noticeable from that album. But as is almost fashionable in showbizz, the first cut never received any recognition and the following year he was to release Vakiridzo. Similarly, the response was lukewarm and in the coming 12 months, he went back into the studio and came out with Simbaradzo. Read more
Hope’s songs of redemption
The Making of a Unique Band
“By the rivers of Babylon I sat and wept,” thus sang the long- suffering Hebrews in their time of Babylonian captivity. They found themselves singing God’s song in a strange land. But though the song speaks of tears, it is actually a song of hope and redemption. The very act of singing it meant that the singers had in actual fact symbolically freed themselves. And, in these turbulent times we live in, we need songs and singers with enormous emotional power that can heal our grief, assuage our anxieties and allow us to hope for a better future. Hope Masike neKakuwe have it in them to do just this and more.
Hope, second from left, and members of Kakuwe
The dream and vision to form Kakuwe was born long before Hope decided to enrol at the Zimbabwe College of Music. Born with music in her blood, an independent feisty spirit, Hope was always someone who marched to a different drum, and so it was not surprising that when she decided to take her music seriously, she wanted to form a unique band with a different sound. Read more
Channel O visits Zimbabwe
Channel O VJ Rachel Stuart at last week’s Channel O Party at the Harare Gardens. The talented Zimbabwean born and raised socialite is also a renowned model. Present at the party was another Zimbabwean Buffalo Soldier, who won an award at the recent Channel O awards. Rachel was host of the party, back to back with DJ Tuneman, also of Channel O.
Out of the ruins, a vision of Hope is born
Hope Masike
The makings of a true diva
Have you ever wondered what it must be like for the Infinite Being to be witness to wonder of the formation of stars, right from the very beginning? (We mortals get to experience the splendour and majesty of stars billions of years afterwards…) Though we are not immortal, we are, however, from time to time, given a rare privilege to be witnesses to the birth of stars within our lifetime. We are honoured to watch them come forth and shine. Hope Masike neKakuwe never cease to give me this feeling.
“Once this woman grows out of the scholastic mode, she’s going to hit the stratosphere,” observed Edgar Langeveld. A combination of Hope’s sultry looks, with echoes of Queen Nerfetiti- under the headdress that spoke of many Nubian queens who have walked this continent in ages now gone, and the delivery of the songs in a voice that seemed to have dipped in honey, steeped in the deepest of earth and heaven’s delights had solicited the remark. Read more
Power FM DJs- Kudzi Marudza
Hello friends!!
Today let us talk about KUDZI MARUDZA
Kudzi most of the time likes playing old school music. Some people might say his choice of music is out dated but if one has a passion for music like myself, you get to realise that music like wine matures with age. Read more
Hundreds turn up for A Academy 2008
Judges from the CBZ A Academy 2008 edition assess a hopeful singer on Saturday (4 October).
L to R: Albert Nyathi, Imelda Mahaka, Willis Wataffi, Admire Taderera.
Hundreds of young singers turned up for the auditions held at the Harare International Conference Centre on Saturday and Sunday.
Some came from as far as Chinhoyi, Marondera and Mutare and waited hours before they could get their turn- a few seconds- to show the judges what talent they had.
Hope is the magic behind Kakuwe
New. Exciting. Hope Masike (Photo: Pamberi Trust).
Portrait of a Rising Star
An new exciting sound, filled with a fragrance of hope rooted in Zimbabwe, imbued with echoes of Africa and the African Diaspora, has come to the fore. The force behind the magical renaissance is Hope Masike and Kakuwe Band.
Kakuwe’s sound is eclectic fusion music with deep earthy traditional rhythms driven by pulsating nyunganyunga (mbira) strains, infectious West African djembe drumming, a soul nourishing thumping bassline and mystical marimba melodies, with a poignant recorder weaving through it all like a cool breeze.
These are infectious melodies born of a vision nurtured by talented Zimbabwe College of Music Ethnomusicology students in search of their musical identity. They call themselves Kakuwe, after the “Go Away Bird” whose call in the forest warns the rest of forest’s inhabitants of impending danger. The group’s vision and sound is steeped in the Zimbabwean landscape, with its questing spirit reaching out to vibrant Pan- African elements to come with a unique style. Read more
Half a thousand voices on the stage
Last week on Thursday (25th September) was the Combined Schools Choir Concert at Celebration Centre in Harare. It was an amazing display of vocal talent and musical promise. The concert featured about five hundred young people from Arundel, Chisipite, Churchill, Dominican Convent, Gateway High, Harare International School, Heritage, Peterhouse, Peterhouse Girls, Prince Edward, St George’s, St Johns and Speciss. Read more
On The Zimbo Jam- Sam Mtukudzi, Owen Chimhare to Be Buried Side by SideSam Mukudzi and his friend cum sound engineer, Owen Chimhare who both died on the spot in a car accident on Monday (15th March 2010), will be buried side by side at Warren Hills cemetery tomorrow.
- Sam Mtukudzi- Condolence Message from National Arts Council of ZimbabweOnce again the arts and culture fraternity particularly the music sector has been plunged into deep mourning by the sudden and untimely death of a music icon in the making – Sam Mtukudzi in a car crash. The only son to Zimbabwe’s renowned musical icon and cultural ambassador – Oliver Mtukudzi. Sam was following in his father’s footsteps. Barely in his twenties, he had already established his own band, the revered Ay Band that had established its own niche market in the highly competitive musical sector.
- Over Speeding May Have Caused Sam Mtukudzi CrashPrimary police investigations have indicated that the car crash that killed Sam Mtukudzi and his sound engineer Owen Chimhare in the early hours of Monday morning may have been caused by over speeding.
- Sam Mtukudzi, Owen Chimhare to Be Buried Side by Side