Mapfumo’s Heir-Apparent, Kurai Makore, To Launch...

Mapfumo’s Heir-Apparent, Kurai Makore, To Launch Second Album In SA

Gilbert Munetsi

Kurai Makore,Thomas Mapfumo’s heir apparent to the Chimurenga musical genre, will launch his seven-track second album in South Africa on October 28 and 30.

Mapfumo is an elder brother to Kurai’s father, now late.

Makore told Zim Now on the sidelines of the funeral wake of his other uncle, Lancelot Mapfumo, in Mbare recently that he will be releasing the album on the same day that Darlington Tanganyika does. They will both be supported by Dino Mudondo in two shows to be held in Braamfontein and in Benoni respectively.

(Thomas) Mapfumo, who has publicly declared he will soon retire from music, self-appointed Makore to carry on the flame of a musical journey that spans many decades.

In the process of nurturing him he, at one time, has given him the opportunity to curtain-raise for him (in SA), a development that has also enabled the younger Mukanya to grow an own crowd and get used to playing on bigger platforms.

Makore and his 15-member Black Lions outfit - whose debut album Gara Unzwe (produced at Eethmn Music) was well-received - has been performing a couple of farewell gigs before departure for SA. On Saturday he was at Classic Night Club in Glen Norah and the following day, Sunday October 23, he played at Pamuzinda Highway Escape.

He says his new production - Ngoma Kurira - is purely Chimurenga, but the songs touch on a variety of themes that include love, loss of loved ones, folklore and peace.

The seven tracks contained on the EPL are Pasi, Tsamba, Makaripa, Kanyarugwe, Gaka, Mapapiro, Ekenia and Dzinochemedza.

Fans, mainly from Mbare, who attended Lancelot’s funeral wake as his body lay in state at the family home, had the chance to sample some of these new songs. Makore then blended Mapfumo’s old songs (which took mourners down memory lane) with his own.

Of particular interest in his band is the inclusion of former Blacks Unlimited guitarist Remigio Tagwirei (a.k.a Reggo) who strums the lead.

Makore spoke at length about the appreciation people now have for his music, the challenges of being a son to a musical legend and plans for the future.

“We go to SA to do our launch because there are people there who saw us perform and were thrilled with our works. So they have asked us to go over and launch because they are meeting the costs. For us this speaks volumes about appreciation.

“Curtain-raising for Mudhara has had a very positive impact on my music. There are legions of Chimurenga music who have had to wait for his shows that do not come so often, but now in his absence I am able to satiate their appetites for it.

“Like the sons of John Chibadura, Simon Chimbetu, Tongai Moyo and others, it is not easy to be born of a legend father because his shoes are usually too big to fit.

“So as I am learning the ropes, I will take it one step at a time until such time I have built my own name. it is not an event, it’s a process and people need to understand that much as they may have expectations for me, it takes a bit of time to build Rome,” said Makore.