| Picky calls it a day after 25 years |
| Saturday, 21 June 2008 02:59 |
|
After 25 years performing, recording and touring with Oliver Tuku Mtukudzi - the longest serving band member of The Black Spirits - Erick Kasamba aka Picky is calling it a day to venture into business in the small mining town of Bindura, north of Harare. Picky’s last official show in Zimbabwe was in Chisipite, Harare, on Saturday 14 June while his last official one abroad was set for Durban, South Africa, during the weekend of 21-22 June, at a peace concert with Tuku to raise funds to support victims of xenophobic violence that rocked SA in recent months. But Picky is not exactly done, as yet. He returns for a one-off bash to bid farewell to Tuku Music fans at a venue and date to be advised in due course. Charismatic and easy going - almost unnoticeable until he landed on stage - Picky concedes developing and maturing as an artist during his time with Tuku and The Black Spirits. He mastered the percussions with the ingenuity of a tutor and helped form, shape and develop that inimitable frontline backing Tuku on the vocals in between their infectious katekwe driven dances. Picky is a recorded artist too. To his credit are singles, Mwana Mwana Chete, Sifikile done with Orange Juice Band, Ndangariro Dzangu (Ndichigunun’una seNherera) a remix from James Chitanga’s own version with the New Image Band. His debut album was Vakafa Vatambura. In the following interview with tukumusic.com Picky reflects on is career at Tuku Music and talks also about the new family business that will now be occupying him as he retires from the rigors of foreign travels, performing. Tuku also speaks on Picky’s contribution to the success of Tuku Music and how much he will personally miss his long time percussionist. Picky: Reflections at Tuku Music Question: How long have you been in music and with Tuku specifically? Picky: I have been in music for a long time…as from 1980. But I have worked with Tuku for a cumulative 25 years, all these years we have been together but leaving and rejoining him and playing in between with others, the likes of The OK Success, Safirio Madzikatire and many others. However, the uninterrupted time I have spent with Tuku is 20 straight years. Question: What did you learn from Tuku all these years? Picky: I learnt too many things from Tuku, too numerous to mention but particularly self-discipline, professionalism and humility. Tuku was so committed to work that he would arrive at a show venue before all of us and that showed great commitment to work on his part unlike other artists who think they are super stars and behave in a wayward manner. Question: Would you say in retirement from performing you will not have anything to do with music whatsoever? Picky: No, its not that I have stopped music for good. I am a musician, I was born a musician, music is in me and it won’t be surprising if you see me performing as guest but for now I want to concentrate on my business. Question: What would you say to the fans and friends that you built all these years about leaving Tuku Music? Picky: It’s very sad I have to leave but I want to thank the fans for being very supportive. I wouldn’t have been successful today if people didn’t like and enjoy my work as a musician. There are some very good musicians out there better than me who have failed to make it simply because they haven’t been lucky to get supportive fans. I have been blessed with good fans. Question: Will you still be involved in recording? Picky: Yes, I will record as and when its necessary because that won’t take much of my time from business, its only at performance level that I am quitting because that would require me to be away touring for months which I can’t afford now because I don’t have the time anymore due to business commitments. Question: After 25 years working with Tuku, what would you say were your highlights? Picky: There are many highlights but at recording level I think the memorable highlight is when we recorded, just the three of us, myself, Tuku and Robert Mtukudzi (Tuku’s late sibling). We did Hallo and Right Direction which were hits. Then we did albums Strange Isn’t It and Nyanga yeNzou, then Chikonzi, then Grandpa’s Story…just the three of us me doing drums and vocals, Robert dealing with the keyboards and Tuku working on the guitars. But it was the Tuku Music album that opened the world for me because the album was accepted worldwide. That was the album for me. Question: Do you think Tuku Music will be the same again without your invaluable input? Picky: I was only a flavor in Tuku Music but the bigger component of Tuku Music is still there as long as Tuku himself is there…he is the driving force and backbone of the music. The music still remains because flavors are only flavors and flavors can be changed to suit different tastes and different times. Question: But fans may not necessarily see things that way? Picky: For sure, fans may not see things that way because they had been accustomed to seeing me with Tuku for all these years…25 years is not a joke by the way, performing and recording and touring together. I will miss The Black Spirits Band and the whole of Tuku Music. Question: Do you have any plans at community level to still work with music? Picky: Yes, the business I am getting into in Bindura is a jazz club where I will be working with music-minded friends…and already I have had the likes of Philip Svosve…Highway Drive, who have already performed at my club and the people in Bindura love jazz like nobody’s business. If it wasn’t for Tuku and my music talent combined, I wouldn’t have afforded opening this family business. I owe it to Tuku, really. I will be promoting bands and helping develop young talent from the mining communities in the neighborhood such as Trojan and Shamva. Question: What would be your farewell words to the fans? Picky: My sincere gratitude for all the support over the last 25 years…I wouldn’t have accomplished much today if it weren’t for you. Thank you - I love you all and may God give you more and more blessings! Tuku: Sad Picky is leaving - will miss him Question: How did Picky add value to your music over the cumulative 25 years you worked together? Tuku: Picky played a major role in my music and visually he was excellent…he was the best in presentation probably because his slender body and my mine blended perfectly well on stage. He was dedicated and focused…he knew what he wanted to achieve and worked hard to make it in music. Question: How would you describe Picky’s talent? Tuku: Picky is unique…all these years I worked with him he didn’t only specialize on the percussions but he also covered drums. I remember once in London and the band had boycotted a show, over some misunderstanding, and Picky went on the drums and we completed the show apparently. That’s when I realized Picky was multi talented. He would also sing and dance. Picky is a complete package that any artist would envy. Question: How does his leaving impact your music? Tuku: I am sad Picky is leaving but I am also happy and proud of him that he worked with me all these years and is going away to start a family business and showing something for his work as an artist. There is a time to say hallo in life and a time to say good-bye. Other artists can see that you can work hard and achieve something that can sustain you in life. Music is no longer a joke but serious business. Picky built a beautiful home from scratch and went on to build premises housing his jazz club, and I am proud of him because all these developments are a result of the hard work that he invested in music. Question: What lessons can young artists draw from Picky? He was an employee and now he is going to be an employer at his new business? Tuku: No, not really! Picky wasn’t an employee at Tuku Music…you can’t employ an artist because art is shared human experiences where artists engage each other rather than employ each other. What youngsters can learn from Picky’s experiences is that focus, direction, dedication and perseverance pays off in the end. Question: Are you replacing Picky and what replacement will you consider? Tuku: You can never find a replacement for Picky. I have had artists coming and leaving and I haven’t been able to replace them because individual artists are unique in their own different ways. When Picky came to the band to replace Kenny (Munemo, who did backing vocals) he came in as Picky with his own different art and skills unique to him, so you cant talk about a replacement but maybe we can get someone who has his or her own different vibes and style. Question: How will your performances do without Picky considering that over the years you had developed a rare combination that blended well? Will you not suffer a big setback now? Tuku: The band will not suffer without Picky but we will definitely, definitely miss him immensely because he had unique style and flair. He was a likeable, charming character. We will not suffer because as artists we have to be creative and find a way of moving on when we lose someone. Question: Your band is getting thinner and thinner and if you were not to replace Picky on the percussions and backing vocals, it means The Black Spirits will now even be much, much more thinner considering that you had streamlined the band in recent years after you started concentrating more on the use of traditional instruments. Your fans may even suggest that the band is getting smaller and smaller that you will end up playing solo? Tuku: (Laughter….) No, no, no, that is not so. What happens is that you can’t suddenly rush to replace someone. You want to study the situation and get the right artist who can bring in something unique and add value to the band. I remember there was a time in 1986 when I lost four artists in the band in a space of two months but we never replaced them for eight months, playing like that and fans still enjoyed the music although we missed the artists very much. Whenever we went on stage we would realize the artists were missing. Question: Will Picky be bidding farewell to the fans at a public concert or he has left rather too unceremoniously? Tuku: We are organizing a show featuring Picky and it will be a farewell bash dedicated to Picky to enable him to thank the fans and say good-bye. Fans can expect that farewell show. – tukumusic.com |
