Meet Baba Harare’s replacement

By Sophie Chese-Msowa

When Baba Harare left Jah Prayzah and the Third Generation Band, there were fears that the lanky crooner was not going to find someone who will fit in the shoes of the talented lead guitarist.

Even Jah Prayzah himself did not hide the fact that he was pained by the departure of Braveman Chizvino, aka Baba Harare, who was also one of his influential guitarists.

It even took him time to find the replacement but as the old adage goes, time heals and it seemed Jah Prayzah has moved on and finally found a replacement for Baba Harare.

He settled on 26-year-old Brian Tsiga.

In an exclusive interview, Tsiga – who was born and bred in Gweru – said he has always been an instrumentalist who had not been able to break through into the main stream entertainment because his home city has a few people who are into music.

When he was a young boy, he used to play drums, bass guitar and more often the keyboard.

“Growing up I was more of a keyboardist than a guitarist.

“I also played drums and the bass guitar. I only started playing the lead guitar when I enrolled at Gweru Polytechnic where I was doing my diploma in Information Technology,” he said.

Because of his love for music, Tsiga was appointed the Gweru Polytechnic band leader in 2012 and since that time he started to play the instrument for local bands.

“I started playing the lead guitar for local musicians in Gweru among them Samukoko. I am the one who played the lead for him on his album and I also played for a guy called Yulesis, these were the only people who were into music in Gweru,” he said.

Samukoko is a Gweru-based musician, who is regarded as Jah Prayzah’s copy-cat. Ironically his physical appearance is also similar to Jay Prayzah’s.

He also highlighted that he used to curtain raise for Jah Prayzah when he came to play in Gweru.

Tsiga said he had always been a big fan of Jah Prayzah and would often play his music.

Little did he know that one day he would find himself working for the musician.

Asked if he can fit in Baba Harare’s shoes, Tsiga admitted that Baba Harare was in a league of his own but promised to do his best.

“I can say Baba Harare was a hardworking person who was also talented. He set a good pace and replacing someone like him is always difficult but what I can say is in music everyone has his or her own colour. Baba Harare set his own level and we might not be the same but I am doing my part and I promise to give it my all,” he said.

Meanwhile, the 26-year-old holder of a diploma in Information and Technology sent merrymakers into a celebratory mood on Sunday at Jah Prayzah’s family show when he played the popular chorus ‘Baba Harare Musadaro’.

Jah Prayzah, through his manager Keen Mushapaidze, said they were happy with the feedback they have been getting since Tsiga joined the Third Generation band.

“This is his fifth show (Sunday family show) and we have been receiving positive feedback from our fans, he is talented and we are happy to have him,” said Mushapaidze who revealed that one of their producers introduced them to Tsiga. The Herald