HARARE - Tuku and his acoustic guitar, mbira, hosho, ngoma and The Mannenberg. Then your night is done entirely this Thursday!

Back from a wide and successful European tour Tuku returns to The Mannenberg in Harare this Thursday, 25th November, from 9pm in an exciting solo encounter.

Tuku’s acoustic ensemble of Phillip Tsikirayi (mbira and hosho) and Sam Mataure (ngoma) join him later in the show.

The trio presents an entirely different dimension to Tuku Music and each much loved song receives a different flavour.

“It’s another of Tuku’s diversified presentations,” says Mataure adding: “There is the Black Spirits full-band, Tuku also performs solo and now this new setup. Different combinations of musicians bring out different experiences in a song. And it makes Tuku more accessible to more diverse audiences at any venue.”

The intimate ambience at The Mannenberg invites the audience to get up close and personal with Tuku at another level with the new acoustic ensemble.

Live and acoustic - Tuku with Phillip Tsikirayi on hosho and mbira.	Live and acoustic - Sam Mataure on ngoma.

Tuku first performed solo at The Mannenberg in October and was joined later by Mataure on congas. The entire audience provided the backing vocals, as it were, as the much-loved Tuku favourites rolled on.

The lean trio also performed at the recent Italian Jazz Festival in the capital and was warmly received.

Oliver, Tsikirayi and Mataure have just returned from the Acoustic Africa Tour of Europe where they performed with Mali superstars Habib Koite and Afel Bacoum visiting Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands.

“Habib and Afel also went acoustic with only two or three musicians, so it was a new thing for everyone, which has never been done before,” says Mataure.

^ Live solo and acoustic Tuku returns to The Mannenberg.

“It was amazing, a brilliant concept of sharing music. We all played each other’s music and it was well received - the people loved it.”

The Acoustic Africa Tour is destined for the United States and Canada next year.

For the trio, Mataure said, it was fascinating to be able to immerse in the Mali rhythms which are so different from Zimbabwe’s own.

Thursday’s performance will open with Tuku solo and step up with percussion later. It will be Tuku’s last performance at The Mannenberg for 2010 with other shows expected next year.

The Mannenberg operations manager Ian White says: “It is an honour and pleasure for us to welcome Tuku and offer our venue to stage his new ensemble. We are proud to be associated with him in new arts developments and Pamberi Trust and The Mannenberg will always give our best support.”

Seating at The Mannenberg will be intimate and limited, an up-market event starting promptly at 9pm with tickets at $20. Upstairs secure parking access from 6 th St. -Penny Yon (Pamberi Trust) for tukumusik.com / Shepherd Mutamba.