Oliver Mtukudzi lights it up at EA Vibe Concert'16

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“Make your song be good for that man, walking in that street there. Impress that one and reach, touch his heart. That’s the man who is very important, but you can only touch his heart when you’re Tanzanian, if you’re not Tanzanian then you’ve got a lot of competition…And you’ll always be secondary because you’re going to sound like R. Kelly, you’re going to sound like 50 Cents, cause you’re trying to be them.

Eric Wainaina at the EAVC
stage on the 6th of Aug
at Nafasi Artspace

Tuku as he's known, on stage doing his thing
at the EAVC concert this year at Nafasi Artspace
in Dar es Salaam

They’ll say she sounds like so and so and if you sound like so and so, where is you? Who you are is the best thing, is the reason why you’re on earth because God had discovered the world is missing this thing-‘so let me create an Eric to cover this space’…

That’s what has made me survive, I don’t compete with anyone I come up with a song and give it, that’s all it is and the competition falls away, common sense.” -Oliver Mtukudzi on the 5th of August this year at Music Mayday-MUDA grounds in Dar es Salaam, where he was talking to young artists from Tanzania on the merits of being authentic.

The Black Spirits Band at the EAVC concert with Tuku
inside Nafasi Artspace grounds in Dar es Salaam recently

Personally I had never met the man, who to date has 65 albums to his name. The organisers of the East Africa Vibes Concert (@EAVC-2016) made this possible. They brought Zimbabwean Super Star, Oliver Mtukudzi to Dar es Salaam also Kenyan Music Icon Eric Wainaina. Both were scheduled to perform on the 6th of August at Nafasi Artspace for EAVC. 

Prior to the concert, there was a master class for musicians from Tanzania to come learn from Oliver as well Eric on matters music industry. Eric encouraged the artists present to diversify their work, to think of doing more than playing one instrument, something that has helped him. What with being involved in producing scores for theatre and film. 

At the end of the session, Oliver got on stage with his Black Spirits Band. Tuku as he’s better known is 63 years of age. Yet when he performs, you’ll think his bones are still in their prime. Present at this workshop were no more than 60 people, so you can imagine the privilege of seeing & hearing him perform live. 

Eric (left) bumping into
Mrisho Mpoto (TZ Poet & Actor) minutes before
the Master Class inside MUDA school grounds

A week ago at CDEA (Culture & Development in East Africa) premises, the NGO who are the major sponsors of this event.  Was the public screening of ‘Shanda’ a documentary that highlights Oliver Mtukudzi’s life in relation to his music. It’s here that I learned that the man has been in the music industry since the early 70’s. Before long, we were at the EAVC concert, on the 6th of August. 

Tuku giving a closed set for the musicians
invited to the Master Class by CDEA & MUDA
in DSM during the EAVC festivities this year 

The event was sponsored by CDEA, Music Mayday-MUDA, The Swiss Embassy, Nafasi Artspace where the venue was held, as well Samaki Samaki & E-FM among others. It attracted a different crowd to the artsy grounds of Nafasi, with various middle class Tanzanians present as well a slew of Zimbabweans living in Dar.

The event was graced by other artists who curtain raised for the two super stars, namely Wahapahapa Band from Tanzania, Jemimah Sanyu from Uganda, Cocodo Band from TZ, Slim MC from UG, Carol Anande (yours truly) from TZ and Zuhura Seng’enge from TZ.

Eric Wainaina (left) with his base guitarist Ted Mwangi
at the EAVC stage this year

The concert which is in its second year is aimed to be an annual event, bringing together live musicians from East Africa. The theme for this year was ‘Vuka Boda’. Translating ‘cross the border’, to highlight the diversity & importance of keeping the East African sounds.

When Oliver Mtukudzi came on stage, a few sound issues got dealt with first, as usual we still have to groom proper sound engineers in our country. Thankfully this was quickly sorted to a descent sound; all through the ‘Black Spirits Band’ which accompanies Tuku. Were very professional already getting into the spirit of their performance, Oliver being at the forefront busy chatting up the fans ‘We’re Tanzanians from Zimbabwe…’

As soon as the music was sweet and churning off their instruments, it slipped into the veins of the audience. Leaving many dancing, even those who were at the VIP section seemingly unaffected by earlier performances, such now they were on their feet. His set was riveting with numbers like ‘Ndima Ndapedza’, ‘Todi’, ‘Neria and others.  

The slick guitarist Benjamin Kabaseke from Kenya with
Eric Wainaina on the EAVC stage this year

When Eric Wainaina stepped on stage he stepped up to the plate of his predecessor. Performing crowd favorites like ‘Ritwa Riaku’ and ‘Nchi ya watu wadogo’, he blew my mind with a song from his upcoming album called ‘Can we fly away together’. The lead guitarist ‘Benjamin Kabaseke on his band is one cat to watch out for.

Dr Oliver Mtukudzi giving wise words at
Master Class for musicians inside MUDA
school grounds in Dar on the 5th of Aug

The talented guitarist Norman Bikaka
at the EAVC stage this year with
Wahapahapa Band from TZ

Dr Mtukudzi left sitting next to Carola Kinasha current principal
of MUDA music school which hosted the Master Class

Lead singer for Wahapahapa band Paul Nduguru
on the EAVC stage this year

Members of the Black Spirits Band with Tuku (right) Alice
Muringayi (middle) and Rodwell Roda

Tendai Sam Mataure the Drummer for
Black Spirits Band
doing his thing at the EAVC
stage in DSM recently,
he's also Tuku's Manager

Tanzanian songstress Grace Matata greeting
 Poet Slim MC from Uganda
 at the Master Class event

Eric Wainaina sharing his thoughts
on the Music Industry at the
Master Class inside MUDA

Eric Wainaina and his musicians on the EAVC Stage