The Sunday News
Joel Tsvakwi, Sunday Life Reporter
CONTRARY to the much perceived beef among the Chimbetu’s protégés, the Dendera music proponents proved that the purported animosity was a fallacy and that blood is thicker than water when they graced Allan Chimbetu’s recent album launch.
The cousin brothers Suluman, Tryson and Douglas were all present to witness their 44-year-old father’s album launch.
Suluman and Tryson are sons of Allan’s brothers Simon “Chopper” and Naison “Dr Nero” Chimbetu while Douglas is his biological son.
Allan who is the Orchestra Dendera Kings (Central Committee) front-man described his fourth album Covenant as nuclear power software in music and hinted on more united Dendera shows apart from the traditional commemorations for his brothers.
The launch was held last week in the capital and was graced by some of the country’s finest artistes namely Alick Macheso, Peter Moyo, Romeo Gasa and Mark Ngwazi.
His album was produced and engineered by Forward Mazurutse at Revival Studios.
The “Professor” as he is affectionately known by Dendera music loyalists, reiterated that his six-track album titled Covenant (Chitenderano) speaks basically about love.
The much hyped new baby in the music circle has the following tracks: Covenant, Viva Dendera, Nguva yekuita mari, Lisa, Mhuri yakura and Ndisina mari.
In an interview with Sunday Life, Chimbetu, who had rekindled the syllabus set by his late legendary brothers was ecstatic about his family support.
“I am actually enjoying being the Dendera icon and all the children are supporting me in every respect and this is the reason I had to take long to release, I wanted to give room to my siblings to prove their worth,” said Chimbetu.
Responding to questions on a possible united Dendera joint he said it was one thing in his plans as the father figure.
“We will have the united Dendera shows but traditionally we do commemorations for the pioneers of the genre and we usually meet as the Dendera family,” he said.
Allan is the last born in a family of eight, four boys and four girls. His elder brothers Simon, Naison and Brian Chimbetu are all late. They however, left a distinct mark in the country’s music industry and one cannot speak of Zimbabwean music without mentioning the names of this rare music family that was full of creativity and shaped the music landscape of this nation.
Allan said he was still working on logistics but would visit the City of Kings to market his new offering.
The Sony hit-maker, who rose to fame when he was backing his late brother Simon and fans expressed their enthusiasm by going on social media to salute the surviving Dendera music icon.
One fan, Douglas Mano could not hide that the Professor had proved his critics wrong.
“There are some people who used to luxuriate in casting aspersions with an intention to elbow you (Professor) from recognition, you remained quiet fully knowing you will make them mute, you have indeed printed indelible footprints on the sands of artistry,” said Mano, a staunch Dendera enthusiast.
Chimbetu, who for the better part of his career had been caught up in controversy, seemed to have gained sympathy from many of his fans, as posted by another fan Colonel Chingwaru.
He said: “The superb work demonstrated by a meticulous harmony between instruments and vocals has left many including perennial foes in shock. Allan’s silence over the years cannot be logically explained, except acknowledging that it’s a secret engulfed with mystery and nobody knows how it entwined with his career,” posted Chingwaru on the Dendera Rinofamba WhatsApp group.
Chimbetu who last recorded in 2009, has three albums in his library namely Sony, Professor and Simukai. He also told Sunday Life that he would tour South Africa in a bid to market his new offering.
@joeltsvakwi
