Tuku speaks on UK Easter bash with Mapfumo
United Kingdom…here we come! Tuku and Chimurenga music rock you massive this Easter holidays, courtesy of Zimbabwe’s own greats Oliver Mtukudzi and Thomas Mapfumo “clashing” in the UK in the mother-of-all gigs.

Call it the “clash” of the titans…call it bira (night vigil)…call it simply massive…this is one heck of a gig that has already set the UK Zim Diaspora community ablaze with great expectation.
 
Of course, it does not always come this big. So it’s worthy every penny.

And who says the “clash” is a contest…? Nay, it is not!

Tuku told tukumusic.com ahead of the show: “There is no way you can compete in art. Thomas’ craft is something that I can’t do…and what I can do Thomas can’t do. So, competing is out of the question. It is just a show of the greats.”

Tuku and Mapfumo aka Mukanya perform in the UK this Easter having last shared the stage in Chicago last year. Prior to the Chicago gig the two had last performed together on home ground in Harare over 10 years ago. So it goes without saying that whenever the two meet only the best in musical performance can be expected.

Says Tuku about the show: “Oh, yes, I am looking forward to the show. I last played with Thomas last year in Chicago and playing with him during Easter in the UK is like taking the show worldwide. I would like those who are not Zimbabwean to come and watch the show…it’s a unique show that people can’t afford to miss.”

From the Tuku camp UK fans can expect numbers from his new and 56th album Dairai due out soon and loaded with some happy dance- along stuff fused with the Zim mbira and marimba. There are also several yester-year hits that Tuku has revisited giving the music a whole new dimension in sound.

As from Mukanya, now living in the States, it can only be his ever  hard-hitting chimurenga for sure! Muriko here uko…?

Humble and modesty in success, over many fine years in music, Tuku said he would not call Mapfumo and himself the greatest Zimbabwean musicians today.

“We are just great artists. There are many other greater artists above us, ahead of us and we may not even know them. We are just pioneers of Zimbabwean contemporary music. We are not the greatest.” Tuku said.

Reminiscing on how Mapfumo inspired him when the two played in the same band (Wagon Wheels) in the 1970s Tuku said: “Thomas inspired me to come up with music which is Zimbabwean…he inspired me to believe in who we are…he inspired me to be unique.

“When we were in the same band we were both playing cover versions…a lot of pop western music but he started coming up with his own songs and sound that would appeal more to our fans and our own band than the cover versions before he moved on to start the Acid Band.

“From there on I just got inspired and started playing what I thought was Zimbabwean music.”

Breaking into deep laughter as he flashed back to his days as a young boy sneaking out to watch Mapfumo’s rehearsals in Highfield, Harare, where Tuku grew up he said: “I used to see Thomas playing drums when they used to rehearse at Mutanga Nite Club (Highfield) when I was in my fifth year at primary school. I would go and watch their rehearsals all the time. The brother was there before me.”

Tuku looks forward to the UK Easter show…meeting and playing for the fans he loves! - tukumusic.com