BY MOSES MUGUGUNYEKI MUTARE-BASED sungura musician Brian Samaita has enlisted the services of three members of Peter “Young Igwe” Moyo’s Utakataka Express for the production of his latest five -track album titled Kwaive Kusaziva that was released yesterday. Apart from roping in Utakataka Express instrumentalists, Samaita also enlisted the services of veteran producer Bothwell “African” Nyamhondera for the album that was recorded at Trutone Studios. On the album, Utakataka Express members Evidence “Jahwi” Tarabuku plays the lead guitar, while Spencer “Boltcutter” Khumulani and Mathew Perego play the bass and rhythm guitars, respectively. Popularly known as Mwana Mutare, Samaita told Newsday Life & Style yesterday that he was forced to rope in Utakataka Express instrumentalists after his Murondatsimba Express members failed to travel from their base in Pretoria, South Africa, due to COVID-19 restrictions. “My band is based in Pretoria and they couldn’t come home for recording due to the COVID-19 restrictions, so I had to rope in some members of Utakataka Express,” he said. “I have been enlisting the services of Utakataka Express since 2011 with the blessing of my close friend, the late sungura music superstar Tongai “Dhewa” Moyo. “My first album Nemiwo Munazvo was done with the backing of Utakataka Express, so was Ndafunga Dembo in 2019 and this latest one Kwaive Kusaziva.” Samaita said he even engages the services of Utakataka Express members, including Willard Lot and chanter Shiga Shiga during live shows, mainly private ones. On the album, Samaita plays the lead guitar and does the vocals with the aid of his wife. Songs on the album are Wandaivimba Naye, Tauya Kuzomutenda, Misikidzo, Kwaive Kusaziva and Shinga. He said in the absence of live shows, he will market his latest offering via digital spaces. Samaita’s previous albums include Nemiwo Munazvo (2012), Murodzi Wepfungwa (2014), Tsono (2016), Kumazivandadzoka (2017), Rinoonekwa Nemavanga (2018) and Ndafunga Dembo (2019). In solidarity with the late Dhewa, Samaita in his album titled Rinoonekwa Namavanga featured the late Samanyemba hitmaker’s son — Obert — on the song Dhewa Vedu.
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