BY SHARON SIBiNDI
NATIONAL Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) director Nicholas Moyo on Tuesday said he was amazed by the work that jazz musician Jeys Marabini was doing to help fellow artistes produce their music at his backyard studio.
Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style on the sidelines of a NACZ and Unesco tour of the studio in Nkulumani 12, Bulawayo, Moyo said he was speechless and commended Marabini for his passion.
“I am amazed by the size of the project. When I read that Jeys has a studio and has helped one artiste, you know you will think it’s just a story. But when we came here, we were amazed by the size of the studio, or project, rather. It speaks about the passion that Jeys has and the commitment that he has put in mentoring and helping fellow musicians, especially budding musicians,” he said.
“I am actually speechless to say the least. However it is also touching in the sense that if you look at this studio; it’s not a standard studio, it is far from being a standard studio but if you hear and look at the quality of the products that has come out of it, it’s amazing.”
Moyo commended Marabini for his efforts, saying he was playing a pivotal role in the music industry with limited resources.
“This just goes to tell us that there is a need to support artistes like Jeys as they are a strong pillar in the music industry at the same time covering a void which he has only done with little equipment at his backyard,” he said.
Moyo said the development should be a wake-up call for the government to come up with necessary intervention strategies.
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“He has done his best and there is a need for us as government to ensure that we make some intervention strategies that will help address this need, especially in Bulawayo,” he said.
Unesco representative, Yarri Kamara, praised Marabini for his love for music, saying he was doing great work.
Speaking during a music consultative meeting on the strategies for creative music in Zimbabwe after the tour, Kamara commended Marabini for his efforts.
“What I have seen today in the studio of Jeys Marabini shows real talent. There is a lot of African settings and the people are showcasing fantastic things with not so many resources,” she said.
The visit — which also included Culture Fund of Zimbabwe director Farai Mupfunya — was part of a national tour by the NACZ with the support of European Union and Unesco to explore ways of industrialising the local music sector.
Marabini’s backyard studio has become a source of light for artistes including Hwabaraty, Zinjaz’yamluma and Gazelimnyama Bhamuza who have benefited from its services.
