Zimbabwean Jazz
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Zimbabwean Jazz
Zimbabwean Jazz, also known as Afro Jazz was developed in the 20th century. Its history can be traced from its early colonial era. It was influenced by a style of township rhythm that evolved in a southern part of Africa over the last century. One can also trace similarities from Kwela, a pennywhistle-based, street music from the southern part of Africa with jazzy underpinnings and a distinctive, skiffle-like beat. Kwela music was influenced by blending the music of Malawian immigrants to South Africa, together with the local South African sounds. In Chichewa, the word Kwela has a very similar meaning to the South African meaning: "to climb". The music was popularised in South Africa and then brought to Malawi, where contemporary Malawian artists have also begun producing Kwela music. It is also closely related to Marabi which was the name given to a keyboard style (often using cheap pedal organs) that had a musical link to American jazz, ragtime and blues, with roots deep in the ...
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Chichewa
Chewa (also known as Nyanja, ) is a Bantu language spoken in much of Southern, Southeast and East Africa, namely the countries of Malawi , where it is an official language, and Mozambique and Zambia. The noun class prefix ''chi-'' is used for languages, so the language is usually called and (spelled in Portuguese). In Malawi, the name was officially changed from Chinyanja to Chichewa in 1968 at the insistence of President Hastings Kamuzu Banda (himself of the Chewa people), and this is still the name most commonly used in Malawi today. In Zambia, the language is generally known as Nyanja or '(language) of the lake' (referring to Lake Malawi). Chewa belongs to the same language group ( Guthrie Zone N) as Tumbuka, Sena and Nsenga. Distribution Chewa is the most widely known language of Malawi, spoken mostly in the Central and Southern Regions of that country. "It is also one of the seven official African languages of Zambia, where it is spoken mostly in the Eastern Provi ...
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Skokiaan
"Skokiaan" is a popular music, popular Melody, tune originally written by Zimbabwean musician August Msarurgwa, August Musarurwa (d. 1968, usually identified as August Msarurgwa on record labels) in the Tsaba-tsaba big band-style that succeeded Marabi. Skokiaan (Chikokiyana in Shona language, Shona)''Kutema Musasa''
by Musekiwa Chingodza. ''Dandemutande Catalog'', Track 2. Retrieved 5 February 2008.
refers to an illegal self-made alcoholic beverage typically brewed over one day that may contain ingredients such as maize meal, water and yeast, to speed up the fermentation process.Saungweme T, Khumalo H, Mvundura E, et al.
1999. Iro ...
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Prince Kudakwashe Musarurwa
Prince Kudakwashe Musarurwa (December 5, 1988 – February 15, 2020), was a Zimbabwean African jazz (Afro Jazz) singer, songwriter, producer and musician. Biography Musarurwa was born and raised in Zimbabwe, his career began within the family, starting with August Musarurwa, composer of the song Skokiaan. He sang in his school choir, spending much of his time playing his father's acoustic guitar. While growing up his musical influences included Oliver Mtukudzi, Salif Keita and Hugh Masekela. After finishing high school he went to the Zimbabwe College of Music. After this, he recorded his first album called ''Kurarama'' in 2011, followed by another album ''Garamuberevere'' in 2012. In 2013 a collaboration followed with his niece Pamhidzai Tracy Mbirimi (Pah Chihera) on a song called ''Runonzi Rudo'' which Musarurwa wrote, as well as all the songs on Tracy's debut album. In the same year of 2013, Musarurwa also released an album entitled ''Gogodera''. 2014 saw him début at the Hi ...
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Rhodesia
Rhodesia (, ), officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the ''de facto'' successor state to the British colony of Southern Rhodesia, which had been self-governing since achieving responsible government in 1923. A landlocked nation, Rhodesia was bordered by South Africa to the south, Bechuanaland (later Botswana) to the southwest, Zambia (formerly Northern Rhodesia) to the northwest, and Mozambique ( a Portuguese province until 1975) to the east. From 1965 to 1979, Rhodesia was one of two independent states on the African continent governed by a white minority of European descent and culture, the other being South Africa. In the late 19th century, the territory north of the Transvaal was chartered to the British South Africa Company, led by Cecil Rhodes. Rhodes and his Pioneer Column marched north in 1890, acquiring a huge block of territory that ...
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Shebeens
A shebeen ( ga, síbín) was originally an illicit bar or club where excisable alcoholic beverages were sold without a licence. The term has spread far from its origins in Ireland, to Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Zimbabwe, the English-speaking Caribbean, Namibia, Malawi, and South Africa. In modern South Africa, many shebeens are now fully legal. South Africa In South Africa and Zimbabwe, shebeens are most often located in townships as an alternative to Eurocentric pubs and bars. Under South African apartheid laws, Africans were prohibited from brewing and selling indigenous beer (sorghum or maize meal with far less alcohol content) and were forced to promote, sell and consume European alcoholic beverages. Separately during some of the Rhodesian era, indigenous Africans were barred from entering pubs or bars reserved for those of White European descent. Originally shebeens were operated illegally by women who were called Shebeen Queens and were themselves a reviv ...
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Charles Fernando
Charles Fernando (1941–1995), was a Zimbabwean abstract painter and jazz musician. His style was greatly influenced by the music he played, and showed similarities to musical symbols and notes as well. His work can be found in the National Gallery of Zimbabwe The National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) is a gallery in Harare, Zimbabwe, dedicated to the presentation and conservation of Zimbabwe's contemporary art and visual heritage. The original National Gallery of Rhodesia was designed and directed by .... History Charles’ family came from Mozambique, but he grew up in Mbare a ghetto of Harare. His greatest painting ever was “Sound”, the low note “E” painted in vibrant colours in circles. Some of his friends that he grew up with were; Christopher Chabhuka who was also an artist and Jazz pianist. Christopher's was well known for his metal “Cockerel” also exhibited at the National gallery of Zimbabwe. Satcha (Tendai Silas Machakaire) was one of Charles’ close ...
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Victor Kunonga
Victor Kunonga (born October 25, 1974) is a Zimbabwean award-winning Afro-jazz singer and songwriter. Though having come to light in 2004, Victor quickly rose to fame with his first two albums and was a household name by 2007. Biography Victor Kunonga was born in Zimbabwe's Shurugwi but grew up in the rural area of Hwedza. Victor's family later moved to live in the country's second largest city of Bulawayo and later to the capital city Harare, where he discovered his dormant musical talent. Self-taught acoustic guitarist, he announced his arrival on the Zimbabwe music scene in 2004 with the launch of his debut album Such Is Life – Ndanyengetedzwa (Persuaded). Since then Victor's star has risen and he has firmly established himself as one of the leading Zimbabwean artists. Musical career In 1999, his dream of enrolling with the college of music in Bulawayo was shattered when he was told he ought to have an instrument or two to be accepted by the college. Since he did not have o ...
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Dorothy Masuka
Dorothy Masuka (3 September 1935, in Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) – 23 February 2019, in Johannesburg, South AfricaVeteran Zimbabwe Jazz Maestro Dorothy Masuka Dies
''VOA Zimbabwe'' website. Retrieved on 23 February 2019.
) was a Zimbabwe-born South African jazz singer.


Music career

Masuka's music was popular in throughout the 1950s, but when her songs became more serious, the government began questioning her. Her song "Dr. Malan," mentioning difficult laws, was banned and in 1961 she sang a song for

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Oliver Mtukudzi
Oliver "Tuku" Mtukudzi (22 September 1952 – 23 January 2019) was a Zimbabwean musician, businessman, philanthropist, human rights activist and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Southern Africa Region. Career Mtukudzi grew up in Highfield, a poor neighborhood in Salisbury (modern-day Harare) in Southern Rhodesia. He began performing in 1977 when he joined the Wagon Wheels, a band that also featured Thomas Mapfumo and fellow guitarist James Chimombe. They were given the rare opportunity by Paul Tangi Mhova Mkondo, an African nationalist and music promotor, who provided money and resources to the group. He allowed them to perform at Club Mutanga (Pungwe) which, at the time, was the only night club available for blacks under Rhodesia's policy of segregation. Their single ''Dzandimomotera'' went gold and Tuku's first album followed, which was also a major success. Mtukudzi was also a contributor to Mahube, Southern Africa's "supergroup". With his husky voice, Mtukudzi became the ...
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August Musarurwa
August Musarurwa (usually identified as August Msarurgwa on record labels) was the Zimbabwean composer of the 1950s hit tune "Skokiaan" (also known as Skokiyana, Skokian). History August Musarurwa was born and raised in the Zvimbamap district of Mashonaland, a region in the north of what was then Southern Rhodesia. He attended Marshall Hartley Primary School before moving to what was then Salisbury (Harare) to find work. After working as a clerk for a tobacco company, he joined the British South African Police as a 22-year-old. The BSAP employed Musarurwa as an interpreter, but later he transferred to the police band. He left the BSAP to work for the Bulawayo Cold Storage Commission, living in the company's compound. As leader of the African Dance Band of the Cold Storage Commission of Southern Rhodesia, Musarurwa recorded Skokiaan as an instrumental in 1947. A second version of the tune was released in the United States by London Records in 1954 under the name of the Bulawayo ...
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Zimbabwean Jazz
Zimbabwean Jazz, also known as Afro Jazz was developed in the 20th century. Its history can be traced from its early colonial era. It was influenced by a style of township rhythm that evolved in a southern part of Africa over the last century. One can also trace similarities from Kwela, a pennywhistle-based, street music from the southern part of Africa with jazzy underpinnings and a distinctive, skiffle-like beat. Kwela music was influenced by blending the music of Malawian immigrants to South Africa, together with the local South African sounds. In Chichewa, the word Kwela has a very similar meaning to the South African meaning: "to climb". The music was popularised in South Africa and then brought to Malawi, where contemporary Malawian artists have also begun producing Kwela music. It is also closely related to Marabi which was the name given to a keyboard style (often using cheap pedal organs) that had a musical link to American jazz, ragtime and blues, with roots deep in the ...
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Zimbabwean Music
Zimbabwean music is heavily reliant on the use of instruments such as the mbira, Ngoma drums and hosho. Their music symbolizes much more than a simple rhythm, as the folk and pop style styled music was used as a symbol of hope for Zimbabweans looking to gain independence from Rhodesia. Music has played a significant role in the history of Zimbabwe, from a vital role in the traditional Bira ceremony used to call on ancestral spirits, to protest songs during the struggle for independence. The community in Zimbabwe used music to voice their resistance to their oppression, as one of the only weapons they had available to fight back with. In the eighties, the Music of Zimbabwe was at the center of the African Music scene thanks to genres such as Sungura and Jit. However, several performers were banned by state TV and radio leading to the closing of several music venues. Musical Genres Sungura Sungura is the most popular musical genre in Zimbabwe. It emerged in 1953, in a time ...
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