HARARE - Amawala, a tantalising collaboration featuring leading Zimbabwean women artistes who include Rute Mbangwa, Edith we Utonga and Tina Watyoka could turn out to be the pick of this year’s Intwasa Festival.
The talented trio, who will be backed by some of Zimbabwe’s most accomplished instrumentalists, will perform on September 27, at Large City Hall in a concert that has been put together by Intwasa with the help of Pamberi Trust.
The fact that all the three members of Amawala have made a mark on Zimbabwe’s music map have heightened expectations ahead of the start of Bulawayo’s biggest arts festival which will run between 23 September and 27 September this year.
Jazz fans will obviously be excited by the energetic Mbangwa who has been a force to reckon with since she burst onto the Zimbabwean music scene after graduating from the Children Performing Arts Workshop (Chipawo) in 1998.
The jazz artiste has just released a new single called Kuri Kutonhora which features urban grooves singer Cindy Munyavi.
The new single is part of Mbangwa’s upcoming double album set for release in October this year. The Afro-jazz singer’s discography also includes two albums My Heart Had a Voice (2004) and Rute Goes Kumanginde (2007).
But Mbangwa, who has not been performing lately, could be upstaged by fellow Amawala member Edith we Utonga who is arguably Zimbabwe’s best female bassist.
Edith WeUtonga’s albums Utonga (2010) and Kwacha (2013) have generated support in Zimbabwe and such countries as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa.
The September 27, gig will essentially be a homecoming concert for Edith WeUtonga who grew up in Bulawayo.
After completing her secondary education, Edith pursued music with the Army School of Music in Bulawayo, where she started off as a vocalist with the Army Band. The Mukaranga singer later joined the fabled Amakhosi Cultural Centre.
The experienced Edith and Rute will be complemented by the lively and gifted Tina Watyoka, a young Zimbabwean singer, composer and musician who is steadily making waves on the country’s music scene.
The young musician’s debut album Introducing Tina released in 2010 continues to receive good airplay in Zimbabwe.