DVD Movie Review: Shanda
Oliver Mtukudzi, the great singer, songwriter and guitarist from Zimbabwe - better known as “Tuku” - has represented the cream of Zimbabwe’s rich musical crop for about thirty years now, chiefly as a member of the The Wagon Wheels and The Black Spirits. The 70-minute feature documentary, Shanda (which means “work” in Shona, the predominant language in Northern Zimbabwe), explores the life and times of Tuku as well as celebrating African social and cultural views.

The DVD includes wonderful live footage recorded in Zimbabwe’s township clubs and beer halls, all handpicked by Oliver to represent his career. Mixed in with the concert footage (unfortunately, usually smack-dab in the middle of songs) are interviews with Tuku and his family as well as his fellow band members. Among the topics of discussion include how Zimbabwe’s struggle for liberation in the 70’s became a period of great songwriting and musical experimentation for Tuku, as well as the rest of the country, and how Tuku’s parents meeting in a choir competition might have inspired Oliver to follow down the musical path that he chose.

The interviews throughout shed needed light in needed places but the music in Shanda does most of the talking. The title track leads off the documentary fittingly as Oliver sings proudly what translates simply to “my work is to sing / my job is to entertain.” Other live footage highlights include the only song of the lot written and performed in English, “Strange, Isn’t It?” and the celebratory “Zimbabwe,” which was written by Tuku in 1979 following his country’s overdue Independence of which Tuku states, “(it was) time to enjoy the fruits of the fight.”

If this DVD catches your fancy and you can’t stand that some (all?) of the live segments are cut off and/or interrupted with interviews and narration, fear not; an accompanying CD (entitled Shanda, as well) is available for purchase separately featuring full un-edited live tracks. I highly recommend it as well to get the full sense of the sheer musical genius that resides somewhere within Oliver Mtukudzi, an artist so groundbreaking that his music is referred to simply as “Tuku Music,” a style independent from any other style in Zimbabwe, or any other place on this planet for that matter.