Township music guru, Tanga wekwa Sando makes his maiden appearance in South Africa

2008-05-12 14:12:05 - Township music guru, Tanga wekwa Sando makes his maiden appearance in South Africa on 7 June 2008 at Club Flamingo for a show to remember. Tickets on www.computicket.com or call +27116781417

Miss Zimbabwe's township music? Not anymore. Zim Cafe brings you Township and Afro-Jazz music guru, Tanga 'Wake' wekwa Sando for a performance of a lifetime. The musician of the Mahobo and Wake fame will be performing live at South Africa's popular Club Flamingo on 7 June 2008. Buy your ticket through www.computicket.com or phone +27116781417 now...


Zim Cafe members can call directly on +27116781417 or send an e-mail to zimcafe@zimgreats.com to get your discounted tickets. A ticket will cost you R80 for the show. If you buy more then five tickets at once, you get one free. Tanga performs with a full band belting out African tunes mostly compared to those of Oliver Mtukudzi. Chibhdhoro of the Safirio Madzikatire fame will be on konkas and is set to bring back the nostalgia of long gone days of disco and dhindindi




TANGA WEKWA SANDO


Background: Tanga WekwaSando is the foremost contemporary Township


Jazz artist in Zimbabwe who writes, composes, adapts, arranges,


produces and markets music under his Hakuna Matata Label.


He has more than 11(eleven) commercial productions (albums)


under his belt.


Recognition: National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) best Jazz Artist


Kora All African Music Awards Nominee (Best Southern African artist 2005)


Zimbabwe Music Awards Nominee




Some Performances Highlights


i. Miss Tourism World (worldwide Broadcast Coverage)


ii. Miss Malaika,Miss Zimbabwe, Miss Tourism Zimbabwe


iii. Arts Alive Festival,Johannesburg,South Africa


iv. Rock Against Racism Washington DC ,USA


v. Zimbabwe Music Festival and Galas


Corporate Clients: Zimbabwe Sun, Barclays Bank, Zimbabwe Tourism


Authority, First Banking Corporation, Various NGO's


Embassies and U.N agencies etc

Tanga Kambadzo WekwaSando was born in Harare's Highfields Township, 50years ago. He plays a mixture of township music of the 50`s, 60's and 70`s Amarabi, Tsabatsaba, Afro- Jazz, Rock, Soul and Funk infused with primary traditional rhythms such as Jiti and Mbakumba. He was influenced by musical cinema shows and tea parties, which also made him into a good dancer. The Salvation Army Church was a catalyst, as this is where he learnt how to play brass instruments. Sando got additional inspiration from Earth Wind and Fire, Brass Construction, Teddy Pendargrass and Marvin Gaye.

History is retold in Sando's music, which encompasses the spectrum of Zimbabwe society, be it past, present or future.' I want to make a contribution, its all about contribution that is shaped by history.'

His compositions are inclined to emotional love situations, witty and subtly entertaining. What makes Tanga wekwa Sando`s music unique is his ability to add feeling to harmony, to convey sadness, joy and finally triumph. Its not easy to pin Sando`s music to one particular genre, although he uses Township Music as his predominant vehicle for fusion.

A critic had this to say about Sando. ‘Tanga`s style exudes such power and beauty that invokes in Zimbabweans a sense of pride, and of a belonging.' Apparently he is aware of the audience's appreciation, and hence he cares. Tanga is an example of an all- rounder. The musical theme cuts across the social fabric, laden with messages for everyone.

Tunes about love and happier times, easily appeal to people, ‘Wake' ‘‘Mira Neni' ‘Paida Moyo' ‘Nyenyedzi Yomugovera' and ‘Ndeweku Mbare'.

Sando began his musical career with the Society of the Destitute and Aged, which performed mostly at Christmas parties.

His first professional group was the Harare Mambos, led by Greenford Jangano, which also groomed several young musicians. Greenford was known for instituting and instilling strict discipline into musicians, of which Sando is grateful. When he left the Mambos, he founded Unitee, which comprised of Elton Edwards, Bunny DeSouza and Johnny Papas. Louis Mhlanga, Bradshaw Mandishona and Henry Peters joined the band later and so did Clancy Mbirimi. They played Funk, Soul, Blues and Jazz, with Louis imitating guitar styles of Santana and George Benson.

The group regularly played to mixed audiences, of blacks and coloureds. Their venues included Mushandira Pamwe, Cannabis, Queens Hotel and the Bulawayo Trade Fair, where they fetched prizes on two consecutive years. Sando thereafter played for Movement, baked Means, and finally Octave, whose members were; Bothwell Nyamhondera, Jethro Shasha, Louis Mhlanga, Chris Chabuka and Henry Peters.

In 1977 Sando went to the United States to further his studies at the University of Indiana and majored in International Economics and Finance. On his way to the USA he had a stint in Botswana, briefly playing trombone for the Gaborone Town Orchestra. At Indiana University he started writing music seriously and ended up living in a car trailer in the park, to have more time to himself. He recorded music in Bloomington where he played in a band of white guys.

Being ambitious and adventurous, Sando moved to New York City to try his luck for a music job. He was hired at Tower Records- Departmental Store, in the Intelligence Section. There he met international artists, such as Janet Jackson, who would sign autobiographies upon release of their records. After three years, he left for the Phelps Stocke Fund which had funded his studies in the States.

When Sando returned to Zimbabwe he immediately embarked on a musical project he named Giraffe and recorded such hits as ‘Mahobho' and ‘Vakomana Vekwedu' among others. During this time he was also a township councillor of Highfields.

When Giraffe disbanded, he went solo as Tanga wekwa Sando producing spectaculars like ‘Wake' ‘Nyeredzi Yomugovera' and ‘Bharanzi'. He has produced a fine label ‘Shungu' which includes ‘wekuMbare' KuFio (Highfield) and ‘Wangu wangu'. The song ‘WekuMbare' (of Mbare) is dedicated to township jazz artists, pianist Chris Chabuka, drummer Johnny Papas guitarist Sam Banana and saxophonist/ bassist Simangaliso Tutani, among others. ‘WekuMbare' had been popularised before by the late Sam Banana.

During 2004 Sando won the best selling musical artist prize at the National Arts Merit Awards in Jazz category, overdue accreditation for the man who had fast-tracked Township Music to dizzy heights. Tanga`s music is the music of the African Renaissance and Tanga`s vision is to contribute to the emancipation of the African mind