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Bob Nyabinde

Raymond Jaravaza, Showbiz Correspondent
WITH 14 years of experience on the microphone, musician Bob “The Headmaster” Nyabinde has mastered the art of keeping himself relevant in the industry by customising his performances to suit the needs of his fans.

It’s been over a year since he held a public show in Bulawayo and “The Headmaster” is announcing a return with a gig he terms “a one-on-one session with the City of Kings fans” at Cape to Cape tomorrow night.

“The Bulawayo show is not the typical gig where I prepare a playlist for the night. It’s more of an interactive show with my fans, playing their choice of songs and creating a relaxed atmosphere for everyone,” said Nyabinde.

While most people had written off “The Headmaster” as a spent force, Nyabinde, whose compositions are social commentaries based on various social issues such as education, insists music still runs in his blood.

His latest single Mombe Yemavhu was released in December last year.

“I’m now more into private functions compared to public gigs. Most people in Bulawayo don’t even know that I was in the city four months ago playing at a private function. My show on Friday at Cape to Cairo will be the first public event in over a year. It’ll be the first time playing my latest single to Bulawayo fans,” he said.

He is bringing a complement of six band members for the four hour show.

Nyabinde, a former headmaster who served at a number of schools in the Midlands Province, arrived on the local music scene with Pane Nyaya in 2002.

Jazz lovers would remember the album Pane Nyaya because of the hit song Chabuda Hapana, a track which dominated the airwaves and became an anthem.

In 2004 he followed up with a second album, Ndiratidze, an equally brilliant piece of work which reaffirmed and concretised his status as a jazz maestro.

Nyabinde was to release his third album Teerera in 2006 before somewhat taking a sabbatical.