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Oliver Mtukudzi
is the best-selling artist in his home country of Zimbabwe,
Africa. Lovingly called "Tuku" for short,
Oliver began recording in the mid-1970s as a member of Wagon Wheels,
a band that also featured Thomas Mapfumo. After Wagon Wheels rolled
to fame in Southern Africa, Tuku formed Black Spirits, the band that
has backed him throughout his career.
Tuku has been
heavily influenced by chimurenga, the genre pioneered by
Mapfumo that is inspired by the hypnotic rhythms of the mbira (thumb
piano). However chimurenga is just one of many styles
performed by Tuku, as his music also incorporates pop
influences, South African mbaqanga, the energetic
Zimbabwean pop style JIT, or the traditional kateke drumming
of his clan, the Korekore.
While Tuku’s
music is undeniably contagious, it is his lyrics that have captured
the hearts of his people. The words to his songs, performed in the
Shona language of Zimbabwe as well as English, invariably deal with
social and economic issues. In the face of political turmoil and a
horrific AIDS epidemic that has swept the African continent,
Oliver's humor and optimism creates an appeal that crosses
generations. One of Tuku’s biggest fans is Bonnie Raitt, who has
not only called Oliver "a treasure", but has also used his
music as inspiration for the song "One Belief Away"
on her album Fundamental. |