UNLIKE any other recent Christmas, this year’s festive season will see local dancehall artistes and South African musicians practically run the show on the local showbiz scene.
SILENCE CHARUMBIRA,ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER
Zimbabwean party lovers, particularly sungura music followers, should be feeling hard done with nothing new to talk about in this month.
In 2010, Sulumani Chimbetu released Non Stop and in 2012 he released Syllabus.
Talk of 2012, Alick Macheso released his long awaited Kwatabva Mitunhu: Kure Kwekure , but nothing this year.
At the turn of the millennium in 2000, the now disbanded R and K Sounds released their all-time hit Tina.
Even Progress Chipfumo’s Hold My Hand, just less than month old, has already faded.
The latest notable releases on the sungura scene should be Extra Kwazvose’s Ndizvo Zviripo and the Peter Moyo’s Mushonga Mukuru which are both six months old.
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Similarly, there is not enough excitement generated by local musicians’ shows at this time of the year because of lack of new content.
On the other hand it is the dancehall musicians like Killer T, Shinsoman, Dhadza D, Winky D and Soul Jah Love, among others that have been commanding a faithful following.
This has been caused generally by the surge of Jamaican artistes performing in the country over the last four years propelling the local dancehall culture.
On the other hand, the year has also seen a shift by local music promoters from scrambling for European and American musicians to mainly South African musicians.
In December, five outfits from South Africa performed in Harare.
Zahara performs at 7 Arts Theatre tomorrow for the second time this year, while Winnie Mashaba performs at Harare Gardens tomorrow as well as DJ Sbu who performs at Club H2O in Borrowdale on the same day.
South Africa-based Zimbabwean Oskido brings along Dr Malinga and DJ Pepsi for a show at VIP Lounge Rainbow Towers Hotel on Monday with Liquideep coming for a show on December 27 at Harare International Conference Centre (HICC).
Other South Africans like DJs Cndo and Dino Bravo also graced the local music scene, while Mi Casa has staged two shows in the country this year.
While the 100% Local Concert featuring Selmor Mtukudzi and Mokoomba is on tonight at 7 Arts Theatre.
Pamuzinda Highway Escape reopens with a show pitting Peter Moyo, Macheso, Leonard Zhakata and Chipfumo.
The Last Gig on December 31 at HICC which features Tuku, Jah Prayzah and Douglas Chimbetu is the only gigs that features local musicians which also does not have a dancehall flare.
