ZIMBABWE has very little or practically no concerts that bring out the multi-racial composition of its citizens and permanent residents.

BY PAIDAMOYO MUZULU

Many a time, Zimbabweans stay in their own silos adhering to the unwritten rules of social and class intercourse, but one band has broken the barriers — Mokoomba from Binga.

The all-men band over the years has become Zimbabwe’s most commercially successful group after the Bhundu Boys.
While the Bhundu Boys’ claim to fame rest on playing before 90 000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium in London and perfectly endearing themselves to the English audience, Mokoomba’s strength lies in being the only group from Zimbabwe that annually performs more than 30 shows at big festivals in Western Europe and North America.

Mokoomba fronted by Mathias Muzaza remains less known in Zimbabwe due to a number of factors including their limited shows in the country, four at most in a year, and singing in Tonga a minority language that many radio DJs and journalists do not understand.

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However, their spirited stage performance, Muzaza’s spine-tingling vocals, Trust Samende’s lead guitar exploits and the band percussion is seductive, drawing one into the web of their songs even without understanding a word.

Pathisani Moyo (keyboardist), Ndaba Coster Moyo (drums), Abundance Mutori (bass guitar) and Miti Mugande (percussionist) make up the full ensemble that has mesmerised audiences across the world.

On Friday, Mokoomba was closing their performances in Harare for 2019, actually their third show in the capital this year.

In the spirit of helping out up-and-coming artistes Mokoomba shared the stage with Probeatz, a new artiste with his art that defies definition. The guy can make the mike sound like drums and produce a spellbinding rhythm.

Mokoomba also gave emerging musician Solution a chance to showcase his music and exquisite vocals when he came on stage to do a duet with diva Amara Brown.

Just before 10pm, Mookomba came to the stage with the audience expecting another electric performance and the boys duly delivered. The band started on a slow tempo playing Kuma Kamukanda, Anachibale, Kazola and by the time they got to Africa the dancefloor was lit.

They pushed further and by playing the crowd favourite Nyaradzo an acappella song that shows the band’s vocal prowess, swaying all the lovebirds to the melody and lifting their spirits to the heavens.

Like always they band saluted the audience with a bow and the lights went out to the great pleadings of “one more, one more,” but the night had since changed to morning and the sated audience trooped out still filled with delirium.

After a decade on the road, touring every continent, raising the country’s flag with their Afro-fusion beat, Mokoomba does not seem to be slowing down but ready to release their third album after Rising Tide and Luyando.