Customer Reviews

Shumba

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
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It is about 20 years now since Mapfumo released Shumba as an apology to his people for ostensibly collaborating with the Smith-Muzorewa attempt to hood-wink Zimbabweans into ending their struggle for freedom. As an introduction to Zimbabwean rhythms it is a must for any westerner wishing to understand the adaptation of the mbira sound to a wider audience. Incorporating infinite melodic variations around a central theme (if you listen, you will hear the Irish in it) and those tantalising African rhythms you will have to go a long way to find a better initiation into the spirit.

These are as i always like to say, Mapfumo's best years. Although before this album he was singing praise for the Smith-Muzorewa government' his music was still good. I loved this album when it came out and i still have the "LP", original vinyl from this age( I can't play it though coz i don't have a record player) but definately a gem. Five star material!!!!

Gudo haridye husiku means the baboon does not feed at night, simply meaning that it has all the time to do anything in broad day light when everyone can see.Thomas Mapfumo " Mukanya" owes his totem to a baboon and has done everything with his music to show the light. He is an icon and has never collaborated with any politician but has arranged his music according to the different eras of our life in Zimbabwe. You need to be able to genuinely understand what was happening during each and every period that he did each song.He has with-stood the tide of times and only a few will understand this,some of those times meant life and death. He was the last standing warrior in Zimbabwe when everyone had vanished to the assignments of the Chimurenga War. He was the true war rebel, the crier.His songs are a doctrine of life in Zimbabwe He has sang for and against every leader and only the deeply cultural will understand why he has done all he has done. It is this characteristic that makes him the light-house of the life in Zimbabwe before, now and forever. Sometimes we hear but don't understand. Thomas owes no man noapology. Don't forget that Muzorewa was an icon for all the black people in Zimbabwe even Mugabe and all the other nationalists can acknowledgee that. Don't blame Muzorewa as he pioneered the idea of the Zimbabwean people solving their problems at the table. don't forgeet thatt all the men, women and children who sang for Muzorewa then are the same people who sing for Mugabe now.Mugabe did not wwant to acknowledge what Muzorewa did that time beccause he was greedy for power and that still shows now. Mukanya forever, others may sing but they are fighting for second place.