DIE-HARD fans of Leonard Dembo will have an opportunity to relive moments they enjoyed at the sungura maestro’s shows, as his family tomorrow launches the Leonard Dembo 20th anniversary commemorations at Dandaro Inn in Harare.
BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
The late musician’s son, Tendai, told NewsDay yesterday that this Saturday marks exactly two decades since Dembo passed away on April 9, 1996.
Tendai said the launch was meant to afford the Dembo family, friends, fellow musicians and promoters a platform to meet and reminisce about the Chitekete hitmaker’s life, ahead of the main commemorations.
He said they were planning to host several shows nationwide, in the run-up to the main commemorative gig scheduled for May 27, in partnership with top promoter Partson Chimbodza of Chipaz Promotions.
“During his days, Leonard Dembo was not limited in terms of staging shows nationwide and this year we want to do the commemoration in a different way, taking it throughout the country and if resources had permitted we would have wanted to take it beyond our borders,” he said.
Tendai said he was optimistic that they would be able to take the commemoration gigs to all the Barura Express fans.
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Alick Macheso, Oliver Mtukudzi, Sulumani Chimbetu, Andy Muridzo, Jah Prayzah, Peter Moyo, Soul Jah Love, Lyn ‘Eriza’ Magodo, Beverly Sibanda, Seh Calaz and Nicholas Zacharia were expected to grace the commemorations launch.
Born Kwangwari Gwaindepi in Chivi on February 6, 1959, Dembo was a talented guitarist who became popular in the 1990s with his Barura Express Band now under the leadership of Tendai.
Dembo composed some of the greatest ever local love songs the country has ever heard, while his guitar playing prowess remains etched at the top of Zimbabwean musical history.
He is widely regarded by many as the greatest sungura musician ever, best remembered for his 1991 blockbuster album Chitekete which sold over 100 000 copies within three months. The title track of the same album made history when it was played at the Miss World beauty pageant in Namibia in 1996.
Dembo’s brand of sungura, with its distinctive lead guitar, inspired several musicians including the late Tongai Moyo, King Pharaoh and Energy Mutodi.
