Thread by @SunguraCentral

Top 40 at #ZimAt40 🇿🇼
Zimbabwe has had some fine artistes over the past 40 years. People who created diverse musical identities that we know today as “Zimbabwean music”.
Here, we present our Top 40 of the past 40 years, in no real order.
A tribute thread, not a ranking!
Hande!

1. Oliver Mtukudzi: A career that stretched over 40 years, with an incredible 67 albums. A real Zimbabwean hero, who carried our flag around the continent and beyond!

2. The Marxist Brothers: From Msengezi, near Chegutu, raised by a bricklayer father, and growing into one of the most influential acts of the past 40 years. Simon and Naison Chimbetu!
Thank you for Dendera! Easy!!

Thomas Mapfumo: Working with Picket Chiyangwa and Jonah Sithole to adapt the mbira to guitar and give us what we now know as Chimurenga music. Social justice crusader! Icon.

Commercial break: The year is 1981 and Thomas has a glorious pair of white trousers. Dude had style.

4. The Bhundu Boys: Rise Kagona on guitar and vocals, Biggie Tembo on guitar and vocals, bassman David Mankaba, drummer Kenny Chitsvatsva, Shakespeare Kangwena on keys. They conquered Zimbabwe, and then the world! Iconic.

5. Lovemore Majaivana: So good at jiving, that Lovemore Tshuma became Lovemore Majaivana. He created a sound and a message that has never lost relevance

6. John Chibadura: From a shy farm boy to a true Sungura icon, and one of the best proponents of the genre! Mr Chitungwiza himself.

7. The Sungura Boys: It was not just a band, it was a school.

Ephraim Joe led the band at its peak, and he produced great stars such as Chibadura, Zakaria, Chimbetus, Tineyi Chikupo, Mitchell Jambo, Ronnie Chataika, Macheso, Tazvida...

8. Solomon Skuza: Freedom fighter and musician. Helped create “Kalanga Sungura”, a fast paced genre. And when he was done, he shifted seamlessly to reggae. And sang about a national scandal about a Cressida

9. Vhuka Boys: Nicholas Zakaria and Shepherd Chinyani: Between them, these two nurtured a countless number of Sungura stars that we know today.

10. Alick Macheso: His creative genius spawned an entirely new Sungura sound, based on bass; it worked so well that everyone sees him as the standard, so much that all - regrettably - these days they all want to sound like him. A King!

11. Ilanga: What a band! WHAT 👏🏽 A 👏🏽 BAND!

In this pic ; Virgillio Ignacio, Keith Farquharson (the two keyboardists), Charlie Mangena, Andy Brown, Busi Ncube, Don Gumbo, Gibson Nyoni. Every band member here, individually, could fit in this Top 40 list

12. Kasongo Band: People use the word “pioneers” too loosely. But it applies here; from the war camps in Tanzania, Dhembo Kenyatta, Rex Moto Moto, Stalin Organ came home and led a different revolution. Ketai Muchawaya, Knowledge Kunenyati, Marko Sibanda brought back a new sound

12. Tongai Moyo: From the old days fiddling with borrowed guitars at the back of Msopero Country Hotel in Kwekwe, to one of the most influential of his generation! Murozvi Mukuru! Mopao

13. Freedom Sengwayo: Recorded gospel music when the record companies didn’t want to hear about it. Led the way for many others that came after him. Thula Sizwe!

14. Chiwoniso: From this tiny 8 year old voice singing with her musician parents, to the smooth voice in the hip hop band Peace ot Ebony, to a Mbira queen.

15: The Four Brothers - Marshall Munhumumwe on drums and vocals, Aleck Chipaika on rhythm, Frank Sibanda on lead and the big guy Never Mutare on bass. Seen here rocking London around 1990

16. Devera Ngwena: They introduced themselves with this banger at Independence, and the band dominated the 1980s.

...and the fashion. Yhu 🙌🏽

17. The Harare Mambos: Virginia Silla, Green Jangano.

“Amainini munematyira / Kana iri purezha kumusha kunemabira / Kana iri mari tobike ndari / toudza baba kuti kuno kakari”

They dont write like this no more 🙌🏽

18. The Zig Zag Band: Outta Kwekwe, resident band at the Arimanyongo Hotel. Manu Nkomo, Gilbert Zvamaida, Davison Gunde, George Lunga, Stanley Phiri, Iden Banda, Fabian Chikamba.
The created their own fusion of reggae and traditional rhythms, Chigiyo!

19. The Pied Pipers: They gave us one of Zim’s best known love songs, “Ruva Rangu”, written by Brian Rusike. The band included legends like Jonah Mutuma, Gideon Neganje

20. Stella Chiweshe: A real ambassador for Zimbabwe and our mbira through the years. Here she was, performing at the Festival des Politischen Liedes (‘Festival of Political Songs’), East Berlin, 1988. A queen!

Break time. Remember, this is not a ranking. Just 40 top artistes in no particular order. Tingaswerera nharo

21. Machanic Manyeruke: He was a gardener in Borrowdale in the 60s & came across a Salvation Army church, where they played instruments. First recording was ‘Rudo serwa Peter’, 1973.

Amazing acoustic guitarist!

21. Fortune Muparutsa: Writer, singer, world class producer.
True pioneer of the soul, R&B hybrid sound that inspired many ‘urban groovers’ years later.
An absolute genius who was well ahead of his time.

22. Family Singers: When they write history of Zim gospel music, they better not forget how Shuvai and Jonathan Wutawunashe totally revolutionalised how gospel is played. Modernised it. Also the hair!

Early 80s, Family Singers wrote “Tarira Nguva Yashe”.

Jonathan Wutawunashe says:
“We took this to Gallo at a time they were phasing out even the great Freedom Sengwayo. They felt the appetite for Zimbabwean Gospel had waned. They said no”

More here:

rangamberi.tumblr.com/post/611008419…

23. Roki: A special talent. One of the leaders of urban grooves movement of the 2000s. We all hoped he’d soar higher than he has, but we love him still. Shout out to @delanimakhalima too for that revolution!

24. Winky D: From a chanter, TV presenter on Rockers Vibes, and this first big hit (Ndiri Rasta on the famous Luckspin Riddim), to one of the most influential artistes today. Helped take Zimdancehall mainstream.

26. The Charambas: Charles burst on the scene late 90s with “Jehovah NdiMwari wedu”, a fast-paced Sungura style tune. And then he switched the game up with this classic.

27. Safirio: Mr Entertainer. Nuff said

28. A band that has represented the Zimbabwe flag so hard globally. We love @Mokoomba 👏🏽

29. Zexie Manatsa and the Green Arrows: The story of one of Zimbabwe’s biggest ever bands starts with two brothers...and two stolen guitars. sunguracentral.tumblr.com/post/815844984…

30. James Chimombe: Honestly one of the smoooooothest voices we ever heard in Zimbabwe.

Daram Karanga, Phillip Svosve, and Elias Bokosha played mabhosvo for both James’ Ocean City Band and Mapfumo. They were the kings of brass!

Jikinya!

Wait, just ten left? Who to leave out?

31. Can’t possibly leave out one of the hardest working men in the business. @jahprayzah has come a long way. Basically created his own sound, and is certainly one of the most influential artistes of the modern era! Massive talent.

32. Leonard Zhakata, Thomas Makion: In the early ‘90s, Zimbabwe was introduced to two guys in viscose shirts, baggy trousers, and white top hats – and they wore two belts apiece. And they changed everything

➡️➡️ sunguracentral.tumblr.com/post/743827142…

Commercial break:

“Panotsonga mari nhamo inokora. Tamba pfonda, mbende nechinungu sahwira, woveza mhanga vadzimu vavhikise nduni yemuvengi...”

Some deep Maungwe there. Had to seek out the elders for interpretation for this level of language.

33. Paul Matavire and the Jairos Jiri Band: In 1981, he was in the crowd when Jairos Jiri Band performed in Gweru at a Jairos Jiri Fete. After the show, he went backstage & asked to join up. His music challenged a conservative society to laugh at its hypocrisy & taboos

Dr Love performing at Queens Garden, and talking about the real life people who inspired his songs

34. System Tazvida: The first time many noticed System, he was that raw, refreshingly ‘rural’ lead voice on Mabhauwa. And that was why we loved him - raw and unapologetic. Wezhira!

List yasvika kwamvura yacheka makumbo. Have to leave out some faves...

35. Transit Crew - Munya Nyemba, Munya Brown, Antony Liba, Samaita Zindi, Manu Frank, Temba, and the man here Culture T.
They pioneered reggae in Zim. Many top reggae artistes that came here didn’t need to bring a band - they knew we has a world class band here to back them.

36. Never leaving Brian Sibalo out of any list. Never.

Four spots left? Who should fill those? 🤔

37: Cde Chinx: What he says of his music in this video, shows why he was one of the most important artistes of the last 40 years. Top class!

38. Mbira dzeNharira: There’s something special that they brought to mbira music, a crossover appeal that many others didn’t seem to muster. Helped keep our mbira alive and appealing to modern, broader, and even younger audiences. Sara mugomo waawegawega! Salute.

39. Peace of Ebony - Because they are one of Zim hip hop’s pioneers!

Chiwoniso, Herbert Schwamborn (Queeler, now known as Metaphysics), Tony “Chief” Chihota, Keith Farquharson. You need to understand how revolutionary a hip hop band was in 1990 Zimbabwe

“Pretend it never happened” - Can’t believe this Peace of Ebony hit is almost 30 years old. Class never fades. 🙌🏽

40. GOAT!

Was never going to be easy, but as we said in the first tweet, it was about our “diverse musical identities”. Had to sadly leave out a lot of heroes, not because they’re any less key, but to salute our diverse sounds as much as possible.

Happy Independence! #ZimAt40