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| Elijah Madzikatire |
I met Elijah Madzikatire years after he had hung up his guitar.
He
had also left Gramma Records where he had produced the late Paul Matavire’s
debut single VaJiri.
At the time, Elijah had acted in the movie Everyone’s
Child and had a comedy Bhero Mukadota running on ZBC TV.
We met at club in Hatfield one evening in 2004. He lumbered into
the club about an hour after the appointment.
I had had the opportunity of attending a show in Mvurwi where the
whole Mukadota Family turned out in 1979. I was a small boy then and during those days,
Mukadota, who drove a BMW, travelled with a big troupe that included actors and
musicians.
At the time, Elijah had released quite a number of songs. I recall
very well his song about karate where he would imitate a karateka on stage.
Being the days of Bruce Lee movies, that song was very popular
with boys.
Surprisingly, Elijah did not mince his words when he spoke to me
about his days in the music industry and how his father treated him.
In some way, he revealed the other side of Mukadota who is
regarded as one of Zimbabwe’s greatest comedians and musicians.
Elijah started his career as a doorman for his father’s group, the
Afrojazz Fiesta.
Note: When the story ran in The Herald, Elijah refuted it after he realised the possible damage it would cause to his father's reputition.
The interview
Had it not been for his father, Elijah Madzikatire would not have
ventured into the world of music in the 70s and 80s.
And again had it not been for the same inspiring father, who later
put stumbling blocks onto his path, Elijah would not have left the world of
music.
But in a case of a hen that eats its eggs, Safirio, arguably one of
the best celebrated artists, destroyed his son’s career.
‘The main reason why I left music was because of endless arguments
with my father. I had grown tired of his sketches and wanted to play music
alone but he could not have any of it. As a result, and since i had no
instruments of my now, I abandoned music,’ Elijah told me.
Elijah still remembered in 1980 when he was chosen to perform during
Mozambique’s independence celebrations.
‘My father was not billed to perform but he followed us and had
the programme changed to accommodate him. Well, that was done but because of the
language barrier, people were not pleased with his performance. They demanded
that I should play music for them.’
Elijah said there were times when his father would cause the
cancellation of a show if he was not on the programme.
‘There were times when I would organise a show and when everything
was going on well, my father would have it cancelled. He owned the instruments and
so had every right to do whatever he wanted,' he further said.
But their problems were not only in shows but money too.
‘Whenever we held a poorly attended show, all the other members
would be paid first. In case there was no money, father would not pay me.'
This, coupled with ill-treatment from his record company, ended Elijah’s
promising music career that had started way back in the 70s when he used to
work as a doorman for his father’s band – the Afro-jazz Siesta.
‘Father had joined the Afro-jazz Siesta after many escapades with
musicians such as the late gospel pioneer Jordan Chataika,' he said.
Even with the Afro-jazz Siesta, Safirio who was also known as Baba
Warwizi from his TV comedy, concentrated more on sketches. After playing with Afro-jazz
Siesta, Safirio managed to buy some instruments and, together with Elijah, formed
the Ocean City Band.
The original line-up had the late Tobias Areketa, saxophonist Phillip Svosve, Nicholas
Hamwala and Elias Bokosha. The group was based at Paul Mkondo’s Hideout 99 in
Lochnivar, Southerton.
When financial problems hit the group, the members walked out on
the Madzikatires.
At the time, the late James Chimombe was working for Chitungwiza Town Council after leaving the OK Success. He was also planning of forming a
band. At the same time, Chimombe met his saxophonist Daram Karanga in
Chitungwiza who had also left the Chicken Runn Band. Since they were looking
for instruments, the two approached Mkondo who told them about Safirio’s
departure.
Svosve, Himwala and Bokosha gladly welcomed Chimombe and Karanga as members of the band.
Abandoned but not completely marooned, the Mukadotas formed
another group the Brave Sun. This was the group that discovered the late Elizabeth
Taderera who was seen dancing at a pub in Mutare.
Katarina was to become the centre of the Sea Cottage Sisters, a
vibrant dance troupe that made Safirio’s act a superb one.
But the 80s saw both Safirio and Elijah’s fortunes dipping. The Brave
Sun disbanded. Katarina left to join Cde Chinx’ Mazana Movement and a come-back
by Safirio with a new group, the New World made no impact.
It was with the Brave Sun that Elijah recorded his first
single Ishe that went gold in 1978. The single was followed by Vana Vevanhu, Pasi
Hariguti and an album Gukurahundi in 1980.
‘Our music was liked by many people. And it was because of this
fact that Webster Shamu picked me for the Mozambican tour.
‘People also enjoyed the antics of Chibhodhoro, John Muyambo, who
played congas. I had seen him playing with a rumba outfit and poached him when
we introduced congas,' Elijah revealed.
The same Chibhodhoro was Elijah’s other half in their TV comedy Bhero
Mukadota. Today, he plays with Tanga Wekwa Sando.
When he abandoned music, Elijah, who acted in Everyone’s Child, also
took part in the series Mhuri yavaMakore with Safirio and Susan Chenjerai.
He worked for Gramma Records as a producer and produced Paul
Matavire’s first song VaJiri. He also worked with Leonard Dembo and Lovemore Majaivana.
Backed by the Bhero Band, Elijah launched a come-back in the 90s
and released a tribute song to his father called Tinokurangarirai but it did
not do well.