Ill-discipline, advice hamper Dembo sons

I never met Leonard Dembo (see the story on this blog about Dembo) but in 2006 when the now defunct CBZ A Academy honoured the late musician, I finally met his wife, Eunice Munati.

She is a tall imposing mother who takes no nonsense from any one. This, I have no doubt, is how she managed to keep her children from the prying eyes of the media after the death of her husband.

At the time, she still drove Dembo’s Cressida – it had seen its days though - and stayed in the family’s Belvedere home.

We met at the massive Celebration Centre in Borrowdale where Dembo and Oliver Mtukudzi were honoured for their outstanding contribution to the Zimbabwean music industry.

Earlier in the week when I got the news, I contacted Dembo’s wife, Eunice, for a family comment.

Although in recent media reports she said she last spoke to the Daily news in 1996, it appears Eunice has forgotten that she spoke to me when I broke the news to her that her late husband would be honoured.

It was on 7 December 2006 when I called her for a story that ran in The Herald the next day.

Prior to calling her, I had been warned that she was not media friendly and that she would not talk to me.

But still I went ahead and called her and she spoke to me. 

Our discussion went on well while we spoke about the honour and she told me that she would attend together with her kids.

But when I wandered into her boys’ lives, she stiffened up and I could feel anger and reluctance. It became worse when I spoke about Innocent Mjintu and his efforts to revive, Leonard Dembo’s band, Barura Express.

Eunice had no kind words for Mjintu and I wrote the story quoting her exact words. The next day, she called me threatening to sue.

Just after her call, a man purporting to be her lawyer called me talking about the same issue.

Later, a story about how one of her sons, Morgan, had trouble with police in Botswana after a car break-in fuelled her anger and she went full steam.  The boy was later deported.

That was in 2007.

At the time, nothing much was known about Tendai and Morgan who were 10 and 9 years respectively when their father died in 1996 because Eunice made sure that she kept them away from the public glare and from pursuing their father’s music career.

Now, the boys are coming out too late and there is no sign that they can do much. 

Morgan too admits this in an interview with Silence Charumbira of The Standard.

Mjintu also has doubts that the Dembo siblings will pull off another Chimbetu stunts.

Mjintu believes the boys have no sound advice and parental guidance while growing up. He also says they never had the opportunity to see their father in action.

Dembo problem child reforms

Morgan and Tendai are on a mission to revive their father’s legacy and recently released their debut album titled Kutsika Matsimba.

Morgan hogged the limelight for mischief on a number of occasions and many critics saw him as a stumbling block to the revival of Barura Express, but the young artist last week revealed he had reformed so that the band could prosper.

 “Ours is a more painful journey because unlike Sulumani Chimbetu or Peter Moyo, we never watched our father performing and for us to entertain any hopes of getting anywhere close to what he achieved, we have to up our game,” said Morgan.

 “That is why I decided to do away with the mischief. There is a lot more serious work that needs to be done and I cannot do that when I am drunk.”

His younger brother Tendai said he was happy that his brother had realised where he was getting it wrong.

“We are now fully committed to the cause since Morgan reformed,” said Tendai.

 “We have been touring various places to market our debut album Kutsika Matsimba which is doing fairly well despite the poor marketing by our stable and the problem of piracy.

“Another driving force is that we have a committed manager, Willard Shava Chirenje, who has been working flat out to make sure that we are on the right track.”

 Chirenje has vast experience in music promotion after working with one of the most prolific local music promoters, Patson Chimbodza aka Chipaz.

His engagement has seen the young artists managing to record their long-awaited first album, which they had failed to do on their own.

 “We sat down and had a serious talk with the boys after which, we came up with a plan that we are using now,” Chirenje told StandardLife&Style recently. 

“The fact that Morgan no longer drinks, I think is enough proof of how serious we are.”

 Since making a decision to start careers as professional musicians a few years ago, the brothers have seen both the highs and lows of the sector.

Dembo sons ill-advised

Lovemore Meya

Arts Correspondent
Zimbabwean music is seeing many sons and daughters of musical legends taking up music, though they are not as talented as their parents. Having sampled good music from some of the country’s fallen musical giants that include Marshall Munhumumwe, Big Tembo, Tongai Moyo, James Chibadura, and System Tazvida, just to single out a few, music fans expect to get equally good music from their offspring.

That has not been the case, because the children of these musical legends have failed to measure up to their late parents’ musical prowess.

A number of bands left by fallen musicians have failed to keep the torch burning, living their legion of fans starved of uplifting music.

The few that scratched the surface are struggling to release their own albums, while some are merely riding on public sympathy.

One striking example is that of the Dembo brothers, Morgan and Tendai, who have failed to rise to the occasion despite the lofty heights achieved by their late father, Leonard “Musorowenyoka” Dembo achieved.

The late frontman of Barura Express must be turning in his grave as his sons have failed to carry his legacy.

Innocent Mjintu, one of the surviving members of Barura Express, said the pair was ill-advised, something that has contributed to their demise. 

Mjintu, who worked with Dembo for over a decade, said the duo could have done better had they received proper guidance.

“I started working with Dembo in 1988 till he breathed his last in 1996.

“During that time his two boys, now heirs to the throne of Barura Express were still very young. We had a good working relationship.

“While growing up, they were not willing to learn what they needed to do to carry their father’s brand and ultimately grow their own. 

“I told them that we could still grow the brand but we needed to work together. 

“However, after meeting some other musicians, they got the wrong advice on how to do things. 

“They approached me and said they needed to do their own thing and that is how we parted ways,” said Mjintu.

He adds: “Even though they have recorded their first album, I think it is still early to judge whether they will manage to maintain the Barura beat.”

Mjintu, however, said he was willing to teach the pair some tenets of good music.

“Whenever I meet their mother, she often asks me whether the two are coming to me for advice.

 Instead of telling her the truth, they tell her a different story,” he said.

No comment could be obtained from the Dembo brothers. – The Herald

I can do better if dad supports me: Selmor Mtukudzi

Disgruntled Selmor Mtukudzi

Last week, I posted an article about Selmor Mtukudzi where I point out that it appears her own musical career is being overshadowed by her dad's success. On Sunday 21 October 2012, she wrote back and below is our discussion on Facebook. You can also read the other story on this blog

Conversation started Sunday 21 October 2012

1:46pm

Selmor Mtukudzi

Hello Mr Guchu..
I enjoyed very much reading the piece you wrote on me. Thank you so much for putting it out there. Most of it was painfuly true.

I do not believe though that in order for me to be recognised my father should be out of the picture, though it seems to have worked for my fellow 'children of legends'. I think if i had my father's support i would be somewhere else today coz i know, like you said, i am talented and this is what i am meant to be doing, music. I wish i could tell you more but if you start digging you will be shocked by what you find out.

Sunday

9:25pm

Wonder Guchu

Dear Selmor

Thank you for reading. It's not easy for me putting together the articles. I know what you mean. Remember we spoke at lengthy that day in hatfield. I know the struggles you put up with to be where you are. I know why the late samson had made some strides even if he started long after you. I admire your strength and tenacity. But like I said, suluman or tryson would not have made it had their fathers been alive. Like you said, you can realise your full dreams if you have your father's support but with daisy around, I doubt he will take in and support you like his daughter. I did not include this detail because I do not want to cause a rift between you and your step-mother. But yes, one day my observations will be recalled. Am sorry if I caused you agony.

• Monday

8:22am

Selmor Mtukudzi

See, thats the thing though. I wish someone would write the whole truth. Im tired of people asking me why i dont have certain things or why i dont have a better car, i am tired of coming up with excuses for my father. Its also not fair on my mother who has supported me with the little she has from day one. People do not know that my mother was actualy married and wedded with my father coz Daisy wants people to think she is my father's first wife.

You didnt cause me agony you actualy gave me hope that maybe my father will change the way he is treating me. 

I do understand though if you dont want any part in this, i mean noone wants to write anything bad about their legend except maybe Garikai (Mazara). But i dont like the way he writes, he is not respectful and he seems to be out to destroy, thats not what i want. I just want my dad to see that people know that he treats me bad bcoz of his 2nd wife.

8:51am

Wonder Guchu

Selmor its about me not willing to write about it. Its not about your father being a legend. Its about him doing the right thing for all his children regardless of his second wife. In fact I remember a story where your mother spoke about the wedding. I could not get the story on the net though. But my aim is to look into the musicians I met and interviewed and understand why they have not succeeded. Like I said on the blog, its a work in progress. I will have more whenever something new comes up.

9:08am

Selmor Mtukudzi

In my case there will never be something new coming up but rather the absence of anything coming up.

Thanks for indulging me in this conversation.

John Chibadura's sons fail to keep dad's legacy alive

John Chibadura - his legacy is dying

Most children of musicians who are not doing well never had the opportunity of playing alongside their fathers or even knew in detail how good their parents were. John Chibadura’s sons Knowledge (29), Simba (27) and Richard (34) fit into this category.

One Monday morning in 2006, John Chibadura’s sons -Knowledge (29) and Simba (27) - came to meet me.

They parked their bartered pick-up truck along Second Street close to the Africa Unity Square water fountain opposite Herald House.

I had only heard about them and their efforts of reclaiming their father’s legacy. They looked of the same age.

Everything about them was rustic. They were dusty and unkempt. 

When they sat before me, I did not smell any success although they were upbeat about reviving their father’s music career and take it even further.

I could not tell which one was Knowledge or which one was Simba as they took turns to convince me that they, indeed, were out for good.

They were holding shows especially in Domboshawa, both chorused. And, they both added, had two shows during the weekend.

I asked them about instruments and transport because I knew that their father had lost everything before his death and that he would spend days sitting at Zimbabwe Music Corporation (ZMC) in Masasa waiting for the company to feel sorry for him.

It was then that one of them stood up, walked over to the window (my desk overlooked Africa Unity Square and Second Street) and showed me the pick-up truck that was overladen with musical equipment.

It was an old dusty truck that had seen some days by look of it. I could see from the third floor window the people packed at the back like sardines. I also saw three other people sitting at the driver’s side.

My heart sank. I knew they were hopefuls but very few promoters care about musicians like John Chibadura. 

Without any funding, there was no way these kids could make it. Worse, they had grown up when their father had long been popular. They real never had a chance like Suluman Chimbetu, to learn the ropes under their father’s guidance.

They also never took the opportunity to learn from the only other man, Roderick Chomudhara, who played with and for their father and led the Tembo Brothers when Chibadura passed away in 1999. 

When their father died and lost his Chitungwiza house, the children — Richard, Knowledge, Simba, John Jnr, Munyaradzi and Melissa — went to stay with their mother in Domboshawa.

Chomudhara says he owed his music achievements to Chibadura and he admitted it saying: “Chibadura showed me direction and I learnt a lot about music from him because of his vast experience. 

“He was one of the best musicians that Zimbabwe has ever had and naturally one wanted to follow in his footsteps.” 

Chomudhara was lured by Chibadura to join the Tembo Brothers from Dombo Stars.

“I had my own group, Dombo Stars, in Domboshawa, which I fronted from 1989 to 1992 before Chibadura spotted me and asked me to join his group, the Tembo Brothers, in 1994.

“I played the bass guitar on albums like Vengai Zvenyu, Mutumwa, Zuva Guru, Kukura Kurerwa, Nguva Yakaoma and Pfuma Yenhaka. 

“I also understand that the Zimbabwe Music Corporation were supposed to release another album in 1997 but I don’t know what happened to it because it has never seen the light of day since then,” Chomudhara said.

The brothers have released three albums with ZMC but all did not make any visible dents. They have blamed ZMC for poor marketing. 

In 2007, the three of them with Richard (34), said they had recorded a DVD featuring six of their father’s songs as well as their three songs with ZMC.

In August 2011, a gig was held in honour of their father but to help the sons off their feet.

In March 2012, the brother left ZMC and below is the story that appeared in Newsday.

Chibadura brothers ditch ZMC

Chibadura Brothers, a group that comprises of sons of the late popular musician John Chibadura, have parted ways with Zimbabwe Music Corporation (ZMC) after their latest album titled Inguva got deleted from the stable’s computer systems.

Sometime in February last year, the brothers under the leadership of Simba and Knowledge were told their album had disappeared and the only solution was to rerecord. But the brothers never got the chance to return to the studio as it was said to be “too busy”.

This didn’t go down well with the brothers currently hunting for a recording studio where they are set to rerecord the six-track album.

Since the death of their father John Nyamukoko (Chibadura) in 1999, the brothers have released three albums, the last in 2005.

The last two albums had little impact on the market despite the brothers keeping to their father’s music, still popular in the country, and this had forced their departure from ZMC.

They returned to the studio in February last year and were dismayed when they received news their album, almost complete, had been deleted from the computer. Simba Chibadura confirmed the group was seeking a new recording stable.

“It was last year when we were told by the producer Dumisani Sibanda our music had disappeared from the computer,” said Simba.

“The album was almost ready and only vocals were due for recording, but we suffered a setback. Even up to now it’s still unbelievable.

“We were told to rerecord, but since last year nothing has happened. And this is the reason why we are leaving ZMC.

“We are just waiting for the transfer letter from ZMC.” Concerning their last three albums, Simba said ZMC failed to market and distribute them.

“All the albums we recorded with ZMC were never found in retail shops and again the studio still prefers cassettes in this era instead of CDs.”

Efforts to get a comment from the producer were fruitless as his mobile phone was not reachable.

In an interview, Emmanuel Vori, ZMC managing director, dismissed all claims: “I don’t know anything about that. Chibadura brothers never recorded here last year. Why don’t you bring the guys here and ask them in my presence?

“I am tired of you people from the Press. You always want stories to sell your papers!” 

This is not the first time musicians have dumped ZMC. Recently, Leonard Zhakata cancelled his contract with the recording studio after the later failed to release his album on time.

Currently, sungura musician Taruvinga Manjokoto, popularly known in music circles as Sugar Sugar, is reportedly at loggerheads with the recording stable for taking long to release his latest album. 

In August last year, Dendera maestro Tryson Chimbetu blasted the recording company and threatened to dump it, accusing it of not marketing his two albums, Marxist Revival and Bvamrod.