Richmore Tera.
Harare, Zimbabwe. (News Of The South) – THAT music is a universal language that helps in ‘building bridges’ is true as evidenced by the numerous collaborations that some Zimbabwean musicians have done with their counterparts from other parts of the continent.
Music superstar Oliver Mtukudzi has been involved in numerous collaborations with some top musicians from South Africa and the region and one of the most prominent projects he took part in include Mahube, a group comprising of popular musicians drawn from the SADC region.
Jah Prayzah recently collaborated with Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz on the track “Watora Mari” which led to a concert of the same name held at the Harare International Conference Centre featuring the same artistes.
The latest in the line of Zimbabwean musicians who have looked at music as a way of cementing ties through teaming up with their colleagues from the region is former Marimba aJehovha group member, Taurai Gandi who has joined forces with Motswana musician, Mothusi. Gandi is working with the gifted Motswana singer both on musical releases as well as live shows.
Gandi – who has since turned to playing Jazz music – has featured Mothusi on his latest solo album titled “Rudo Ibofu”.
Mothusi was featured on two tracks, the title track which is titled in isiTswana as “Leratho” (or “Rudo Ibofu”) and “Modimu” (“Mwari).
To give the album a feel of the music flavours from the two countries, Gandi took his project first to Botswana where the two songs were recorded at Molaodi Studios in Lobatse before finishing the rest of the album at Gas Studios in Harare.
“In 2003 I moved to Botswana owing to work commitments and it was while I was working as a sales rep for a company called Molaodi Electronics that I was introduced to Mothusi the musician. Actually, the meeting was made possible by his father who is the owner of the electronics company,” Gandi recalls.
A video of the title song has already been sent to ZTV.
“Zimbabwe and Botswana music have some similarities although Botswana is more steeped in the traditional beat. Also, shows in Botswana are mostly sold out since people support artistes. With Mothusi, we performed in Botswana South in the areas of Lobatse, Kanye, Pitsane, Good Hope and parts of South Africa like Zeerust and Mafikeng.
“I spent three years in Botswana and now I am back home where we will be holding shows together with Mothusi who will come and share his Tswana music experience and beat with us,” Gandi, who grew up singing in the school choral groups at Musanhi Primary and Secondary Schools in Murehwa, said.
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