5.0 out of 5 stars
A fine collection of Tuku's best period., February 21, 2009
This review is from: Greatest Hits the Tuku Years (Audio CD)
Imagine the career of Oliver "Tuku" Mtukudzi, the elder statesman of modern Zimbabwean music. After plugging away for over twenty years with some international success and great local success in Zimbabwe, Bonnie Riatt hears his music, bases the chorus of one of her songs on his, and champions his music to all who will hear, beginning Tuku's shooting star ride as one of African music's greatest stars, a ride which included three releases on the Putumayo label and an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman. While his star no longer burns nearly as bright as it once did, the material from the era leading up to his rise is still as wonderful as ever.
The thirteen songs on this CD are from five of Tuku's CDs from this era:
Tuku Music (tracks 1, 3, and 8),
Paivepo (tracks 2, 5, 7, and 10),
Bvuma / Tolerance (tracks 4 and 11),
Vhunze Moto (tracks 6 and 9), and
Neria, the soundtrack of a Zimbabwean film (tracks 12 and 13). These albums all come from a time when Tuku was shifting to a more acoustic sound and probably represent his finest work. My understanding is that the songs on Tuku Music and Paivepo are reworkings of Tuku's older material in the new acoustic style. Tuku's music of this period is fully developed and all the tracks on this disc are stand out tracks. Tuku combines the influences of his native Zimbabwe with the music of South Africa, music much more influenced by American styles than other African music, producing a sound that is very palatable to Western ears. This multicultural blend makes him one of the most accessible of African musicians to us Westerners.
My first recomendation for anyone new to Tuku would be
Tuku Music which unfortunately appears to be permanently out of print. That said, this CD is a satisfying stand in for that classic and can be considered an appropriate first choice to his catalog.
Shoko, an album recorded in the early 1990's, would be my next recomendation. It is an excellent rerecording of some of Tuku's biggest hits in Zimbabwe and not only is it the best example of his earlier more electric sound but it is a joyful good time.
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