Zimbabwe: Superstar Tuku 'Takes On' Opera

Zimbabwe: Superstar Tuku 'Takes On' Opera

Zimbabwe Standard (Harare)

12 August 2007
Posted to the web 13 August 2007

THE common adage "water and oil do not mix" sounds rather frivolous when you are talking about Zimbabwe's superstar, Oliver Mtukudzi.

Tuku now features on a collaboration with Afro Tenor, a South African trio who sing opera. Although the album was released in 2004 its presence is being noted only now, bringing to his fans' attention the other exciting side of Oliver Mtukudzi.

Lucky Sibanda, Given Ndebele and Agos Moachi are the trained opera singers who make up Afro Tenor. Their album, A New Dawn, is an amazing eclectic fusion of opera and African rhythms that features a duet with Tuku called Afro Pata -- a rendition of Miriam Makeba's Pata Pata.

Pata Pata means "touch, touch" and it is an old dance that was popular when Miriam Makeba was a girl. It became Miriam Makeba's first international hit song over 30 years ago. There is a new version that features her granddaughter, Zenzi Lee, done in 2000.

Ronald Chiwanza, a popular local old school and jazz music DJ said: "I have listened to that song and I think Mtukudzi can as well duet with Stevie Wonder and make sense. It's a song you will appreciate for its uniqueness. And it makes you love the Shona language because Tuku won many hearts with it on this song."

Mtukudzi and his manager Sam Mataure could not be reached for comment.

Standardplus saw the group perform at the Harare International Festival of the Arts in 2005 on a breezy night. Afro Tenor, who were later joined by Mtukudzi on stage, captivated the audience with their songs.