ENOCK Piroro may be an unknown on the local music scene, but his mastery of the bass guitar has made him an international icon. The 35-year-old bass guitar maestro testifies to the universality of music as a language that transcends the boundaries of race, age, tribe and background.
BY BRIAN KAZUNGU
Piroro, who has been working with Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi, since 2011, has had stints with several highly-acclaimed artistes such as Zahara, Hugh Masekela, Ringo, Dorothy Masuka, Steve Dyre, Judith Sephuma and Sipho Khazi.
Born in 1980 to parents who were pastors in ZAOGA-Forward in Faith Ministries, Enock had a passion for music instruments since his childhood.
Starting off with tins and dishes, as his drums and using home-made guitars using nylon strings, Piroro told NewsDay he experimented with his instruments, trying out songs such as One Way by the late Simon Chimbetu and True Love by Ilanga until he got it right.
As if to confirm that music was his calling, one day at the age of nine, Piroro caught the attention of one of the teachers at primary school impressed by the young man’s golden hands on instruments and gave him 50 cents, which Piroro now counts as his first pay.
Since then his love for music grew and he became proficient in other instruments such as the piano, acoustic and bass guitars by the time he was in high school.
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“My first encounter with an electric bass guitar was in 1996 at a church function in Chitungwiza,” he recalled.
After that he went on to work with several local artists in the mould of Joyce Simeti, Pastor G, Shingisai Suluma, Dudu Manhenga and Victor Kunonga as well as the late Sam Mtukudzi and Andy Brown.
Piroro has extensively travelled the world, playing before huge crowds in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Mozambique, Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroun, Mali, Uganda, Egypt and Lebanon.
“After having witnessed the benefits of being an accomplished bassist, I took it upon myself to establish the Piroro Bass Academy, whose mandate is to nurture music talent, especially that of guitarists, so that they become accomplished and well sought after individuals in the music industry,” he said.
Piroro said such a music academy will help musicians achieve what he has already achieved and even more on the local and global stage, where music can be a very lucrative venture.
Some of the notable moments that always keep ringing in Piroro’s mind in his career as a bassist are the times that he has shared the stage with the likes of Max Wild (USA), Salif Keita (Mali), Richard Bona (Cameroon) and Lady Smith Black Mambazo (South Africa).
He has also rubbed shoulders with John Clegg (Canada), Bebe Winans (USA), Baseko and Fatoumata Diawara (Mali) and Chinobe a Kora from Uganda, Eric Wainaina, Suzanna Owiyo and Sarah Mitaru (Kenya), Stewart Sukhuma (Mozambique) and Nigerian, Kunle Ayo.
He has also performed in events such as the Hollywood Bowl (USA), Africa Festival (Hertme) in Netherlands and the Macufe Festival in South Africa, the Sukiyaki Festival (Japan), Spring Festival (Egypt), Womad Festival (London), Edmond Folk Festival and Africa Festival (Canada).
Piroro said he is grateful to God for giving him such a unique gift and that he was inspired by his parents and many other people who have held his hand throughout his music career.
“My plan is to offer me in music and to release my full potential so that I can empty myself of what is in me for the benefit of the whole world and the generations to come,” he said.
