The Sunday Mail
Leisure Reporter
SINCE Harare City Football Club came into the Premier League, it has not made it a secret that it wants to take the big boys on and the powers-that-be have taken the club’s morale to a higher level through the release of a five-track album that was composed by Jennifer Maneni, a seasoned gospel musician.
Out to make some noise . . . (from left) Harare City Football Club coach Masimba, Prosper “Boss Pulo” Kadevere, Shinsoman and Zivanai Chiyangwa
“I have always been a football fan and when I noticed the professionalism that is at Harare City Football Club, I approached them with a sample song and when it was fully produced, the team’s executive was chaffed.
They asked me to do more songs, hence the five songs on the album,” explained the sultry Jennifer last week.
The album opens with “Harare City FC Yauya”, followed by “Bhora Kutapira”, “MaBoss”, “Sunshine Boys” and closes with “Pito Yarira”, the common characteristic in all the songs being the sing-along mood.
“It was deliberate that we made all the songs such sing-alongs, that should be the spirit of football, happy moods,” laughed Jennifer.
Having been a session musician for years, “which almost adds up to a decade”, of which most of these years were spent learning the ropes behind the scenes at Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave’s outfit, Jennifer says praise-singing in church and singing celebratory songs for a football club both involve celebrations of some sort.
Backing vocals were ably provided by Lydia Shamarai and Tendai Mabuba while Blessing Mchenga doubled as bass guitar player and producer. Oscar Chamba was on keyboards while Tapiwa (aka Marselo) Jehwa was on lead guitar,
The five-track album, which will not be available commercially will be given freely to the football club’s followers. However, if it had been commercially available, the album was a sure bet for the charts.
“I have made several hits in the past from my gospel albums. In 2013, when the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority made a national call for a theme song for the UNWTO conference, my entry ‘Mahon’era’ came out fourth from the 38 songs that were submitted. That should give you an indication of how good my compositions are,” she said confidently.
“Add to that, from my 2012 album ‘Fambai Neni’, there was ‘Handimbomira Kunamata’, which was a hit song. From the follow-up album ‘Total Recovery’, ‘Umire Papi’ stayed on the gospel charts for almost four months. ‘Buruka Mweya’, off my latest gospel album also made it to the national charts.
“This makes the album ‘Sunshine Boys’ join an elite catalogue of hits, I am very happy to be associated with them.”
Shinsoman, who composed three tracks for Harare City FC, says he is a Harare City fan and has no regrets. “I am a Sunshine Boy and I have many fans who are either Dynamos or CAPS United, that should not be a problem. I did these songs because I love my team.”
Recorded at Party Central Studios in Highfield and produced by DJ Mbale, the three tracks on the album are Hatibatike, Hatimire and Harare City. “I wouldn’t say that they are dancehall tracks, but they are melodious tunes. Songs that make you happy.”
Major Marara, who is in charge of communications for Harare City Football Club, said although this is the first recorded album from the club, they would like to build on the positive response they have received from their fans so far and plans are afoot to have videos produced for at least two songs from the album.
“The initial response from our fans has been encouraging and we are planning to have some videos from the album, which will form part of the entertainment menu when we launch our own television magazine soon,” said Major Marara.
