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OLIVER MTUKUDZI LEAVES HIS FOOTPRINT
WITH NEW RELEASE
Tsimba Itsoka
Released Worldwide August 28
As Part Of The Acclaimed Heads Up Africa Series
Each of us walks through life on his or
her own path. And yet, in the course of a lifetime, so many
of those paths cross and re-cross again. The steps that we take
and the footprints that we leave behind create a lasting mark
– even if just a small one – on our families, our
friends, our community and even the world as a whole.
Oliver Mtukudzi, the Zimbabwean Afro-pop icon who joined
the Heads Up International label with the 2005 release of Nhava,
examines the lasting effect of those indelible traces of humanity
in his new release, Tsimba Itsoka (HUCD 3124),
a twelve-song CD set for worldwide release on August 28, 2007.
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Tsimba
Itsoka
Track Listing:
1. Ungade' We?
2. Chikara
3. Kuropodza
4. Mhinduro
5. Hapana kuti Mbijana
6. Njuga
7. Kuipedza
8. Masimba Mashoma
9. Mbiri Hurimbo
10. Nzungu Imwe
11. Vachakunonokera
12. Kumirira Nekumirira |
OLIVER MTUKUDZI LEAVES HIS FOOTPRINT
WITH NEW RELEASE
Tsimba Itsoka Released Worldwide August 28
As Part Of The Acclaimed Heads Up Africa Series
Oliver Mtukudzi, the Zimbabwean Afro-pop icon who joined
the Heads Up International label with the 2005 release of Nhava,
examines the lasting effect of those indelible traces of humanity
in his new release, Tsimba Itsoka (HUCD 3124),
a twelve-song CD set for worldwide release on August 28, 2007.
Translated literally, Tsimba Itsoka
means “No foot, no footprint,” a simple phrase that
serves as the foundation for every song on the album. “Everyone’s
footprint is different,” says Mtukudzi, who has crafted
a brilliant body of work over the past three decades by cutting
to the core of the most complex political, social and spiritual
themes and recasting them in the most simple and direct terms.
“Each person is moving on a different path through life.
Some are traveling in a positive direction, while others are
traveling in a negative direction. But everyone leaves their
mark on the world, no matter how big or small.”
From the very first notes of the album, Mtukudzi – as
always – is not afraid to examine the darker side of the
human experience as well as the lighter side. From the opening
hook of “Ungadé we?” (“Would you like
it?”), he addresses the issue of violent crime, and asks
the perpetrator how he would feel if the tables were turned.
“I’m asking, ‘Would you like it if your daughter
was raped?’” says Mtukudzi. “In other words,
what kind of footprint are you leaving behind, based on the
life you’re living now? And what would that footprint
look like to you if it were pointed in your direction, or in
the direction of someone you loved?”
The midtempo “Kuropodza” (“One who talks too
much”), underscored by the murmur of muted guitars, is
a song about communication, and how easily it can break down
between individuals and groups. “If you just talk and
talk and talk, you’re not having a discussion,”
says Mtukudzi. “You need to make some space for someone
else to speak back to you. If you speak and then listen, then
it becomes a conversation.”
Driven by an understated guitar and a simple rhythmic line,
“Mhinduro” (“Reply”) is a commentary
on the fast talking that the guilty resort to in order to cover
their tracks. “In the song, I’m saying, ‘Why
do you give answers when there are no questions?’”
says Mtukudzi. “It only proves that you’re guilty.
You’re explaining yourself when no one has asked you to.
You’re trying to cover your guilty footprints.”
The atmospheric “Kuipedza” (“Wasting”)
features a haunting melody augmented by high-end female vocals
behind Mtukudzi own resonant delivery. “The song talks
about wasting precious time with negative emotions,” he
says. “Hating each other is just a waste of time. If we
love and respect each other, the world would be a beautiful
place. We need to spend the time we’re here making good
footprints.”
“Mbiri Hurimbo” (“Fame is sticky”) is
a poignant ballad that peers into the bright and dark sides
of fame and celebrity. “Fame is not something you’re
born with,” says Mtukudzi. “It’s something
that comes to you and sticks to you. It’s not you. It’s
what you do, or the result of what you do. When you’re
famous, your footprint becomes bigger than your foot. Maybe
too big. It becomes easier for people to follow it, even if
it’s not the best footprint to follow.”
“Kumirira Nekumirira” (“Waiting and waiting”)
is a call to action to those who would rather be controlled
by adverse circumstances than take control of them. “We
can’t wait for miracles to happen,” says Mtukudzi.
“If there are problems that have to be solved, if we want
our lives to be better, then we have to do something for ourselves.
If we’re not taking action to make our life better, if
we’re not walking, if our feet are not moving, then there’s
no footprint for people to follow.”
Indeed, the path through life is long and winding, and filled
with obstacles and hazards, says Mtukudzi. Every step, no matter
how small, is critical. “Life is how you make it,”
he says. “The quality of life is measured by the kinds
of steps you take as you walk through it. The footprint is a
representation of who we are, where we are and where we’re
going. If you happen to see a footprint in the road, it means
someone has been there before you, and there’s something
to be learned from that person’s life and that person’s
story. Tsimba Itsoka. There is no footprint without
the foot.”
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Oliver Mtukudzi - Profile
Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi is
arguably the most powerful creative force to emerge from Zimbabwe
in the last three decades. Carefully balancing compelling
rhythms and accessible melodies with insightful lyrics, Tuku
has built a vast body of work that is politically and socially
relevant, yet entertaining and accessible to a worldwide audience.
Throughout a career that spans more than 45 recordings and
virtually every corner of the globe, he has remained committed
to the live music scene of his homeland, where he and his
band, The Black Spirits, continually play to enthusiastic
audiences in even the most remote regions.
Worldwide response to Mtukudzi’s music has been glowing.
Parade called him “one of the few genuine innovators
of the Zimbabwean music scene,” while Prize Beat
in his native country proclaimed that his music “has
been instrumental in strengthening our freedom, socially,
politically and economically.” American blues/country/roots
artist Bonnie Raitt has referred to him as a cross between
soul shouter Otis Redding and reggae legend Toots Hibbert.
Mtukudzi made his debut on the Heads Up label with the worldwide
release of Nhava on April 26, 2005. “Nhava”
is the Zimbabwean word for “carrying bag.” Mtukudzi
says the
album is a satchel filled with nuggets of advice, encouragement
and wisdom for travelers on the journey of life as they make
their way through an often perilous world.
Born on September 22, 1952, Mtukudzi learned the importance
of social and economic responsibility early in life as the
oldest of seven children whose father died prematurely. He
got his first taste of pop music success with the 1975 release
of his debut single “Stop Before Go.” Two years
later, he joined the Wagon Wheels, a group that featured Thomas
Mapfumo. “Dzandimomotera,” his first single with
the band, quickly went gold, but Tuku left the band shortly
thereafter to pursue a solo career, taking several members
of the Wagon Wheels with him and forming the Black Spirits.
Their 1979 debut album, Dzandimomotera, also went
gold on the fast track.
With Zimbabwe declaring independence in 1980, Tuku and the
Black Spirits released Africa, one of the most important
albums of its time. With the album’s two hit singles,
“Zimbabwe” and “Mazongonyedze,” the
spirit of the fledgling nation was suddenly personified in
a single powerful voice. For the next seventeen years, Mtukudzi
would maintain a rigorous recording schedule that yielded
two albums every year – a feat that cemented his reputation
as a prolific songwriter, a highly skilled producer/arranger
and a formidable lead singer. A quarter century after his
earliest successes with the Black Spirits, he continues to
showcase all of these talents and more in live performances
that have captivated audiences not just in his homeland but
worldwide.
Mtukudzi has become such a force in the musical landscape
of South Africa that his name has become synonymous with his
style, and “Tuku music” has evolved into something
quite distinct from any other Zimbabwean music. Clearly, his
cultural influences are evident – the traditional forms
of the mbira, the South African mbaqanga style, and the popular
Zimbabwean music style called jiti, are all evident in his
sound – but these have been distilled into an aesthetic
that is now very much his own.
Mtukudzi ascended to a new level of worldwide exposure with
the 1998 release of Tuku Music, an album distributed
by various labels in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Europe, UK, North
America, Australia and Asia. The album spurred a string of
dates in the U.S. and Canada with Taj Mahal and Toumani Diabate
and Baaba Maal, as part of the Africa Fete tour. He followed
up with Paipevo, which reached the top of the Zimbabwe
music charts within a week of its release in November 1999.
Mtukudzi joined the Heads Up label in 2005 with the release
of Nhava. “Every song on this album has something
to teach about life, something to remind you and encourage
you about what is important in life,” he said at the
time of Nhava’s release. “All of these
ideas are universal. They are the same for every human being,
regardless of their culture or their environment.”
He follows up in the summer of 2007 with the August 28 release
of Tsimba Itsoka. The title, a Zimbabwean phrase
that translates to “No foot, no footprint,” is
the underpinning for every entry in the twelve-song set. “The
quality of life is measured by the kinds of steps you take
as you walk through it,” says Mtukudzi. “The footprint
is a representation of who we are, where we are and where
we’re going. If you happen to see a footprint in the
road, it means someone has been there before you, and there’s
something to be learned from that person’s life and
that person’s story. Tsimba Itsoka. There is
no footprint without the foot.”
In addition to compiling a vast musical catalog over the past
three decades, Mtukudzi has branched out into other areas
of creative expression, including film and theater. He participated
in several documentaries on Zimbabwean music during the ‘80s,
including the BBC’s Under the African Skies
and The Soul of the Mbira. In 1990, he played the
leading role in Jit, the first film featuring an
all-Zimbabwean cast, and a year later played a prominent role
in Neria, a drama dealing with the complex issue
of women’s rights in a chauvinist culture (he also composed
and arranged the Neria soundtrack). He also wrote
and directed the musical production Was My Child (Plight
of the Street Children) in the mid ‘90s. In the
past few years, he has contributed music to more than twenty
AIDS-related documentaries that have screened worldwide.
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TRANSLATIONS FOR OLIVER MTUKUDZI’S
TSIMBA ITSOKA: “FOLLOWING THE FOOTPRINTS”
“Ungade wé?” (oon-GAH-day WEH)
(“Would you like it?”)
Mtkudzi is addressing the issue of violent crime, and asking
the perpetrator how he would feel if the tables were turned.
“I’m asking, ‘Would you like it if your
daughter was raped?’” he says. “In other
words, what kind of footprint are you leaving behind, based
on the life you’re living now? And what would that footprint
look like to you if it were pointed in your direction, or
in the direction of someone you loved?”
“Chikara” (chee-KAH-rah) (“Wild Animal”)
Chikara is a reference to any wild and dangerous animal. “It’s a song that talks about different shapes of footprints,” says Mtukudzi. “You can tell the breed of a dangerous wild animal by the shape of its footprint. And you can tell by looking at the footprint whether an animal is dangerous or safe.”
“Kuropodza” (koo-roe-POTE-zah) (“One who talks too much”)
A song about communication, and how easily it can break down between individuals and groups. “If you just talk and talk and talk, you’re not having a discussion,” says Mtukudzi. “You need to make some space for someone else to speak back to you. If you speak and then listen, then it becomes a conversation. If you’re self-disciplined enough, and you listen to others, and give your opinion at the proper time, you’re leaving a good footprint. You’re leaving room for those around you to say the things they need to say.”
“Mhinduro” (min-DOO-roh) (“Reply”)
A commentary on the fast talking that the guilty resort to in order to cover their tracks. “In the song, I’m saying, ‘Why do you give answers when there are no questions?’” says Mtukudzi. “It only proves that you’re guilty. You’re explaining yourself when no one has asked you to. You’re trying to cover yourself. You’re trying to cover your guilty footprints.”
“Hapana Kuti Mbijana” (ha-PAH-nah KOO-tee m-bee-JAH-nah) (“There’s no in-between”)
The moral compass has only two headings. “In this song, I’m saying you’re either in heaven or in hell,” says Mtukudzi. “There is no in between. You’re either a good person or you’re not a good person. Either your footprint is a good footprint to follow, or it’s a dangerous one that should not be followed at all.”
“Njuga” (n-JOO-gah) (“Gambling Card”)
A song that compares the game of life to a game of cards – on that should be played well and fairly. “The dealer shuffles the cards and gives them to all the players,” says Mtukudzi. “He’s supposed to know it all. He’s supposed to know everything about the game. But he ends up the loser. You should play your cards well, and play to win. If you don’t, then you have no one to blame but yourself.”
“Kuipedza” (kwi-PET-zah) (“Wasting”)
A song about making the best of our short time in this world. “The song talks about wasting precious time with negative emotions,” he says. “Hating each other is just a waste of time. If we love and respect each other, the world would be a beautiful place. We need to spend the time we’re here making good footprints.”
“Masimba Mashona” (mah-SIM-bah mah-SHOW- nah) (“No power”)
Ownership, responsibility and respect all go hand in hand. This song looks at the importance of taking responsibility for the things that are yours and respecting those things that are not yours. “You have no power over the things that are not yours,” says Mtukudzi. When something is yours, you have the power to do anything with it… If you’re not responsible, you’ll abuse what’s not yours. You’ll misuse other people’s property.”
“Mbiri Hurimbo” (m-BEE-ree hoo-RIM-boh) (“Fame is sticky”)
A poignant ballad that peers into the bright and dark sides of fame and celebrity. “Fame is not something you’re born with,” says Mtukudzi. “It’s something that comes to you and sticks to you. It’s not you. It’s what you do, or the result of what you do. When you’re famous, your footprint becomes bigger than your foot. Maybe too big. It becomes easier for people to follow it, even if it’s not the best footprint to follow.”
“Nzungu Imwe” (n-ZOON-goo IM-weh) (“One nut”)
In America, we often say “one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch.” Mtukudzi makes the same point with one bad nut in a mouthful of good ones. “You might have a handful of nuts,” says Mtukudzi, “and you throw them in your mouth, and if there’s just one rotten nut, all the other ones in your mouth will taste bad. In life, if there’s just one bad person in a community, he can spoil that whole community. And that one person can leave a bad footprint for everybody.”
“Vachakunonokera” (vah-cha-koo-no-no-KEH-rah) (“They are going to delay”)
A song about youngsters who sit around waiting for their parents’ inheritance rather than making their own way in the world. “In our culture, you can only inherit your father’s property when your father is dead,” says Mtukudzi. “But if he doesn’t die until a very old age, he’s going to delay you from learning how to work hard and earning something for yourself. It’s better to work hard now, while your father is still alive. Your parents are not going to die on your time, when you need their money.”
“Kumirira Nekumirira”
(koo-mee-REE-rah neh-koo-me-REE-rah) (“Waiting and waiting”)
A call to action to those who would rather be controlled by
adverse circumstances than take control of them. “We
can’t wait for miracles to happen,” says Mtukudzi.
“If there are problems that have to be solved, if we
want our lives to be better, then we have to do something
for ourselves. If we’re not taking action to make our
life better, if we’re not walking, if our feet are not
moving, then there’s no footprint for people to follow.”
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