Zimbabwe: Mokoomba shines at Intwasa Arts Festival
By Farai Matungo – High riding musical group Mokoomba left audience spell bound when they delivered a high octane show at the just ended Intwasa Arts Festival in Bulawayo.
Mokoomba live onstage
Fresh from an impressive performance representing Zimbabwe at the Moshito Music Conference Showcase in South Africa that featured bands from Congo/Belgium (Fredy Massamba), Reunion Islands (Iza and Natalie Natiembé), Senegal (Bouba Kirikou) Spain (Trance Untes), Uganda (Maurice Kirya) and South Africa (HHP and The Brother Moves on), Mokoomba delivered a scintillating performance infecting audience with its electrifying blend of Afro-fusion and tantalizing traditional Tonga rhythms.
The crowd was very appreciative and you would never guess that most of the songs that the band was performing were completely new to the audience at the Chibuku stage.
Their performance at Intwasa Arts Festival was a special occasion for the young band as it was the very first time that they shared their music as a professional outfit with Bulawayo audiences. The last time Mokoomba performed in Bulawayo was at the Music Crossroads provincial competitions back in 2008.
Mokoomba band manager Marcus Gora said: “We thank the organisers of Intwasa Arts Festival for bringing Mokoomba to Bulawayo. Our attention is now shifting towards developing local audiences for our music in order for our progress to be balanced.”
Gora said the group dwelt on issues which Zimbabweans face in their day to day lives.
“The daily lives of the people of Zimbabwe and our culture in all its diversity are the inspiration for Mokoomba music and the foundation of our success and we want them to appreciate what the band has to give in return” said Gora.
Mokoomba is enjoying international success with its new album Rising Tide, which has been on the World Music Charts Europe for the past four months and will be touring the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe in October and November.
The group is made up of Mathias Muzaza is on vocals and percussion, Trustworth Samende on lead guitar, Reason Muleya on shakers, Costa Ndaba Moyo on drums , Miti Mugande on keyboards and Abundance Mutori, the bass guitarist.
