FATE smiled upon Attack Force Jazz Band on Saturday as they walked away national champions after a stunning performance at the Chibuku Road to Fame finals held at the Glamis Arena in Harare.
ANDREW MOYO OWN CORRESPONDENT
The Chinhoyi-based contemporary jazz group battled it out with nine other groups, but their superb artistry earned them the $5 000 cash prize as well as a recording contract.
Manicaland’s Talent Falls Band came second and went home with $4 000 while third-placed Facebook Brothers scooped $3 000.
The winner’s podium was proof of the fact that the day of Sungura dominance on the local music scene may have passed.
This year’s final was action packed with some of the county’s top musicians who included Alick Macheso, Jah Prayzah, Shinsoman, Lady Squanda, Sandra Ndebele and Suluman Chimbetu gracing the stage.
Music lovers who had come in numbers were kept in carnival mood by various performers, who thrilled fans way into the early hours of Sunday with Jah Prayzah shutting the gig down with a bang.
The biggest winner of the day, however, was not even an artiste, but the love of Chibuku earned 21-year-old Tapiwa Mandaza a whopping $20 000 in the Take 2 promotion with two other lucky winners scooping $10 000 and $6 000.
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Speaking to NewsDay after their victory, Attack Jazz Band lead singer Isaih Manzvimbo said they were thrilled to have won as they had tried a couple of times and failed in the preliminary stages of the competition.
“This has been a long time coming and we are really glad that we managed to win today,” Manzvimbo said.
“We have come second twice during the provincial finals and this time we went all the way.”
Manzvimbo promised music lovers fireworks in the near future as the group was now focusing on working on their debut album.
“We are yet to find out when we will start recording, but all I can promise is that a banger of an album is on the way.”