The Sunday Mail
Dennis Chimanzi
RENOWNED music producer, composer and guitarist Clive Mono Mukundu is set to mark and celebrate his 34 years in the music industry by showcasing the guitar that shaped his blossoming career.
According to Mono, his first personal guitar, which was donated to him by Apostle Samuel Manyika of the Living Word Churches International, shaped his career.
Before the donation, Mono used to play a home-made guitar.
Without a proper guitar, he often travelled far and wide as he searched for musicians who could offer him guitar-playing lessons.
Meeting Lust Saidi, a Chitungwiza-based bass guitar player, proved to be the turning point in Mono’s career.
“After my first lesson with Saidi, I decided that I was going to take music as a profession. This decision created problems as I did not have a guitar of my own and I wanted to practise as often as possible.”
Mono, however, soldiered on.
“I developed a persuasion skill and I could go around borrowing guitars. I later on formed my first band, The Sarungano Chanters, and this marked my entrance into the music industry,” Mono said.
To perfect his guitar-playing skills, the award-winning artiste reckons he needed to practice playing the instrument at least for an hour every day.
However, his parents, who did not want him to become a musician, were not supportive and could, therefore, not give him the money to buy a guitar.
For 10 years, The Sarungano Chanters relied on borrowed instruments.
During that time, Mono was also a session guitarist for The House of David, a band which was being sponsored by Apostle Manyika.
Fortune, however, knocked on Mono’s door.
“Up to this day, I still remember that occasion. It was on February 3, 1998 when Apostle Manyika surprised me by giving me a guitar. I could not believe him. I was overwhelmed to the extent of shedding tears,” recounts Mono.
The donated guitar made it possible for him to work with many artistes, both local and international.
“Using that guitar, I recorded with the likes of Albertina from South Africa, Pfumo Kahwema, Brian Sibalo (late), Ivy Kombo, Fungisai Zvakavapano Mashavave, Sharon Manyika and Mahendere Brothers just to mention, but a few.”
Although Mono went on to buy his own state-of-the art studio equipment, he is still in possession of the donated guitar.
“Although I now have several other guitars, this one remains my favourite. It is also still as good as new. When I started teaching my son Takakunda to play the guitar, I taught him using this same guitar,” he revealed.
