Exactly four years ago, the lead guitarist who fronted The Sounds of the Muddy Face band, died due to kidney failure.
Mashakada’s music career started in the 1970s. According to veteran journalist Wonder Guchu’s blog, Mashakada, “in 1977 teamed up with Biggie Tembo (later to front Bhundu Boys), Jacob Teguru, Franco Kazere, and David Ziome (later to lead Zimbabwe Cha Cha Cha Kings) to form the World Ten Band.”
“The group relocated to Harare at the invitation of Paul Mpofu of the World Tomorrow Band. The two groups (Wild Ten and World Tomorrow Band) eventually merged and they settled for the name Muddy Face,” writes Guchu.
They went on to release songs such paInyanga, nherera and kilimanjaro. When Job Mashanda and Paul Mpofu left, Mashakada remained in the group and went on to rename it “Sounds of the Muddy Face”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdQC8jI8-xo
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It was as frontman of the Sounds of the Muddy Face that Mashakada went on to release gospel hymns backed by a beat that was a combination of sungura and jit.
It was, perhaps, his distinct lead guitar sound and the way it followed the tune of the vocals that made his music more unique. Often underrated and relegated to the periphery of Zimbabwe’s music circles, Mashakada made a major breakthrough with his 2003 album, Nyaradzo Yakaitwa, which had the hit song Samson and five other great tracks.
His new found success was, however, blighted by his diabetic condition, which worsened in 2006, leading him to get his right leg amputated.
With an artificial leg, Mashakada soldiered on, holding shows countrywide and releasing two more albums before his death.
