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CD Review
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Urban Music Scene, CD Review >>
by Terrill Hanna
One of the most talented artists to ever grace the urban music scene shares the spotlight with a worldwide audience ready to be entertained with music that can move you socially & politically. It can move you on the dance floor & make your heads 'bob'.... And it can make you think!
Hailing directly from Zimbabwe, Oliver "Tuku" Mtukudzi returns from Heads Up International with another musical direction thats set upon the south african rhythms & afro-pop. "Tsimba Itsoka", which stands for "No Foot, no footprint", reaches deep into one's mindset about true realities of life. Often, the music simply will groove your feet to much of your delight, but the messages Oliver delivers to the listener comes off very strong & full of wisdom. As passionate as Oliver has been in many of his previous projects, some 45 recordings from throughout his career, this personal arrival is highly recommended!
Track Listings
-- Ungade' we?
-- Chikara
-- Kuropodza
-- Mhinduro
-- Hapana Kuti Mbijana
-- Njuga
-- Kuipedza
-- Masimba mashoma
-- Mbiri hurimbo
-- Nzungu imwe
-- Vachakuonokera
-- Kumirira nekumirira
The mid grooved "Kuropodza" carries delightfully into a board of discussion. Although this track can easily be mistaken for overall production excellence & a raggae melody driven flow, Oliver simply states lyrically about "one who talks too much". In his sidenote: "If you just talk & talk & talk, you're not having a discussion. You need to make some space for someone else to speak back to you. If you speak & then listen, then it becomes a conversation".
Much of the titles to all of his songs has integral meaning. The translations to each track should be researched. For example, "Hapana Kuti Mbijana" stands for the moral compass with 2 headings. In Olivers words: "In this song, I'm saying you're either in heaven or in hell. There is no in between.". Another highlight is a fine sax solo piece from Samson Mtukudzi in "Ungade' We". It orchestrates some of the high quality of compositional work Mr. Mtukudzi transfers into all of his tracks on this CD.
And with that said comes the overall appeal for the album. Most of the music draws a lot of attention to his personal insight to world issues. As brilliant as he puts his topics to great use next to some of the best South African music I haven't heard in a long time, "Tsimba Itsoka" should gain major exposure throughout the world. Not since Heads Up International last released "Smooth Africa" has anything sounded as refreshing, stimulating, joyful & lasting as this one! I was appalled & at the same time, grabbing as much education out of Oliver's music as opposed to rocking back in forth in my lawn chair, grooving to it. Now that speaks a whole lot of volumes to me & it clearly indicates the dire need for much of todays music to follow into Oliver's footprint-
Or shall I say "Tsimba Itsoka", as to where Oliver adequately puts it: "Everyone's footprint is different.........But everyone leaves their mark on the world, no matter how big or small".
Oliver left a BIG footprint... 08/29/07 >> go there
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