The Sunday Mail
IT was a mixed crowd: the grey-haired drawn by nostalgia, the young out to verify the legend.
That the lion was indeed a lion was not under debate. Uppermost in the mixed crowd was the question whether the lion still had the hunt in it.
As he sauntered onto stage, one wondered if age had not dulled the edges, worn away the predatory instinct.
And then the lion roared. Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo still had it in him.
Mukanya’s April 28 homecoming Big Bira, breaking the singer’s 14-year hiatus from local showbiz, was about just guitars, mbira, congas, vocals and so much more.
The Entertainment Republic-organised gig had proven first grade performers in the mould of Winky D, Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi and Suluman “Sulu” Chimbetu.
So much was at stake and Mukanya knew it but was never for a moment intimidated by the high expectations.
He was as calm as ever – a coolness some erroneously attributed to old age. They can be forgiven for thinking so, the fellow is after all 72.
But this was experience on display.
A day after Mukanya touched down in Harare, I joined Mukanya and his close associates William and Blessing Vava at a restaurant.
As the veteran singer walked in, he stumbled a little and William grabbed his arm and hissed: “Iwe ita balance ka ufambe mushe, vanhu vakatarisa (get some balance and walk properly, people are watching.”
I’ll admit I wondered if he still had it in him to pull off a mega gig. Mukanya himself had no such dounts.
“Ndakabva nazvo kure izvi and tichiri kungozviita. Chipo changu ichi (I have come far with music and I’m still on it. This is my calling),” assured Mukanya.
“We want to see our old fans but also wish the youngsters to come and be part of the event so that they get to appreciate what it is that made us popular stage-wise and the importance of pushing culture through music.”
It was clear that the man some call Hurricane Hugo or Gandanga was more than prepared for the Big Bira.
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“We are visitors in the United States but that does not mean we are on vacation. The group is very much active and has gained even more experience. What you see today on our set is a result of years of toil,” said Mukanya.
A couple of hours before his set, Mukanya was backstage with fellow musicians and fans. But even as he chatted with them, it was evident that he was itching to get on stage.
“Handisati ndakupinda here? (Is it not yet my turn on stage?)” he asked now and again.
A couple of hours after midnight, he was finally let loose.
He gently tapped the ground with his right foot, right fist clenched and swinging back and forth.
One fan shouted: “Munochimhanya here Gandanga? (Can you do this?)”. Mukanya responded by giving a gentle smile that seemed to say, ‘You haven’t seen anything my guy.’
He opened his set with the ’80s hit “Joyce”; and then belted “Chikonzero”, followed by other hits like “Bhutsu Mutandarika”, “Pidigori”, “Hwahwa”, “Chiruzevha Chapera”, “Nyoka Musango”, “Mugara Ndega”, “Mukadzi Wamukoma” and “Shabeen”.
He also sampled the song currently titled “Chauya Chauya” off his forthcoming album. The track was allegedly leaked onto the black market.
Powered by a superb playlist, perfect sound system, world class stage and a receptive crowd, Mukanya clearly did not want to leave the stage, pleading with his management to let him play until 7am.
“It was a challenge getting him of the stage. He wanted to play for more than four hours but we could not let that happen.
“He was supposed to travel to Guruve that very same day for a family function and return the following day for his flight back to the US,” said Vava.
The legend commandeered the stage, and fans will be hoping he returns soon.
