Sulu to pay homeage to Mapfumo

By Dakarai Mashava

HARARE – Dendera star Suluman Chimbetu will include a duet with United States of America-based Chimurenga music legend Thomas Mapfumo on his fifth album set to be released in April.

Sulu told the Daily News yesterday that the song, that has provisionally been titled Mukanya, confers deserving homage on an inspirational Zimbabwean music icon.

“The song basically expresses how much we miss Mukanya and it is a call for him to come back to Zimbabwe,” said the Syllabus hit-maker.

“Mukanya’s fans and the Zimbabwean music community in general misses his great music wisdom.”

Sulu also added that the song is meant to thank the 69-year- old for assisting him during the formative years of his music career.

“Mukanya helped me acquire my very first public address system. He sold it to me at a very low price and for that I will always be grateful,” said Sulu.

“I grew up in Mabelreign where Mukanya also stayed. Living close to such an important music icon also played a big part in inspiring me to take music seriously.”

According to the Sean Timba hit-maker, he recorded his part of the duet at a Harare studio last Wednesday while Mapfumo’s contribution will be incorporated later.

The award-winning dendera star’s yet-to-be named seven-track album also includes songs like Ndiani Achachura, Tora Mari and Chemina.

Orchestra Dendera Kings publicist Joe Nyamungoma told the Daily News that the dendera group has been encouraged by the positive response that the new songs are generating at shows.

“The fans are warming up to the new songs. We play the songs most of the time without revealing the tentative names of the songs because we want our fans to help us coin better titles,” said Nyamugona.

“The recording of the album is going according to plan and we hope to release the album in April” he added. Sulu’s discography includes Ndomusiya Nani (2007), Reverse Deal coming (2009), Non Stop (2010) and Syllabus (2012). Daily News