The Sunday Mail
Gospel power couple Pastor Charles and Olivia Charamba will this week drop a 10-track album, their first in four years.
Titled “We Nazareth”, the album is a collaborative effort by the talented husband and wife team.
Pastor Charamba, who studied the art first with the Zimbabwe College of Music and then with Africa University during the period that the couple did not release an album, spoke of their latest collaborative effort.
“This album is a first of its kind – our first collaboration, in the true sense of the word. Of course we also maintain our trend of backing one another on a few songs. There is great maturity, we say, in the whole compilation and we have raised our own standards.
“For most of the songs we are singing together, it’s quite different and unique, people will love it – I just can’t unpack it in words like this, that is why I prefer the music to do the talking.”
Could the four years Charamba spent studying music have changed his beat and style?
“Not even. As I have always highlighted before, this school programme should not be taken as the re-invention of Charamba’s music. School has simply broadened the spectrum of some things which I did not understand before,” he explained.
Charamba graduated with a National Certificate in Music from the Zimbabwe College of Music and a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz from Africa University.
“There is still some music which I composed before I started my music studies. I just have a better understanding of certain things – but expect a more jazzy feel on the music this time around,” he said.
The Charambas cancelled several international shows over the past four years, but they are back on the circuit and will be Australia-bound in a fortnight.
“We have a serious backlog of international shows. We cancelled many shows in places such as Canada and they will need to be fulfilled. However, this time around we are only going to Australia for shows in three cities then we come back,” he said.
Pastor Charamba dismissed reports that he could not release an album in the last four years due to fear of piracy.
“We have never been afraid of piracy – it will not hinder us from releasing our music and it has never done so. The cause for the delay in releasing an album was school and after I finished school, we had to take our time because we did not want to give our fans a half-baked meal after so long a time,” he clarified.
“However, let it be known that this is not our culture (releasing albums after lengthy periods). We were affected by other factors like tight schedules which included our tours to Mozambique (twice), Cape Town, Johannesburg, London, Australia and local places that include Chiredzi and Beitbridge, among others. These happened soon after graduation and recent times.
“We also had family assignments to fulfil. We shall, however, try to avoid lengthy release intervals, but this is not to say we pledge annual releases.”
Songs carried on “We Nazareth” are “Tsitsi Nyasha Nemutsa”, “Kukunamatai Jesu”, “Mugamuchire”, “Men of David”, “Ndinochemera Jesu”, “Ndiwe”, “NaJehova Zvinoita”, “Munopindura”, “Glory Be to Jehovah” and “No Woman Should Die”.
Pastor Charamba also explained the meanings of some of the tracks on the album, which is expected to be available starting Wednesday.
Kukunamatai Jesu: “Whilst we are granted the grace to live by God, we also need to be thankful to Him for the immediate environment we grow in. We have to acknowledge the efforts by our guardians/custodians regardless how inadequate we feel they provided for us during our upbringing.”
Mugamuchire: “When God provides us with the partner we have prayed for, it follows that we accept such people without focusing on their shortcomings. It’s only prudent to be accommodative while both parties learn to tolerate each other, effecting change where necessary.
Men of David: “Spiritual warfare has to be approached with the same mindset and commitment as that which was demonstrated by the warriors of David. They defended their own, served sacrificially and were undeterred by prevailing circumstances.”
Ndinochemera Jesu: “Baring of one’s soul before The Lord. Lamentations over retarded progress in life. The person takes such a concern to Jesus, while avoiding to discount personal input towards weathering the problems at hand. Self introspection is being made and an appeal for God’s intervention is earnestly made.”
Ndiwe: “This is an acknowledgment towards the weighty significance of one’s life partner. Compliments are exchanged between married couples as they unreservedly credit each other on their respective walks. They are thankful to God for their relationship.”
NaJehovah Zvinoita: “A proclamation that believes all will be settled by the Mighty hand of God. Unfulfilled dreams as well as personal limitations are being confronted in the name of Jesus. Angel Gabriel’s proclamation that ‘for with God nothing is impossible’ (Luke 1:37) is the basis for this supplication.
Munopindura: “Attesting to the faithfulness of God. He answers every prayer we make.”
Pastor Charamba said they did the non-gospel “No Woman Should Die” as part a Health and Child Care Ministry awareness campaign “and it is one of the best tracks on this album”.
