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David Masondo

Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
Tonight is the night of reckoning for Soul Brothers as they stage their first show in Zimbabwe at the Large City Hall in Bulawayo without the velvet voice of the late lead singer, David Masondo.

The kings of Mas’kandi music have been part of Bulawayo’s urban folklore for the past four decades. Songs such as Yimi ndoda, Sibongile, Bazobuya and Siphalaphala played anywhere in Bulawayo get an immediate reaction from the crowd when they hear the distinctive keyboard melody by the only surviving original member Moses “Black Moses” Ngwenya at the beginning of every track.

But in all this, there was Masondo who led the group, singing his way into the hearts of fans, carried by the melodies by Black Moses on the keyboard.
Unfortunately Masondo is no more, but Black Moses picked up the torch and continued belting out song after song in the Soul Brothers style hence they released their 40th anniversary album two years ago.

Although Soul Brothers seem like the headline act because of the size of their brand, musicians such as Steve Kekana will contribute to completing the line up.

A rival or challenge to the Soul Brothers for the better part of the 80s and 90s, Kekana at the ripe age of 59 will have to show if he still has it. With any musician the older they become, the more refined they get and people will expect nothing less.

The last time he was in Zimbabwe was at the Harare International Festival five years ago when he charmed many after performing a rendition of James Chimombe’s hit Cecilia.

For iHashi Elimhlophe, the man is a bundle of energy and his high pitched voice has seen him charm Bulawayo before when he performed here some years ago.

Locally we have our own exponents of the genre in the form of Zinja Ziyamluma who on Thursday night at the Skyz Metro FM Music Awards walked away with two accolades, Best Mas’khandi/ Mbaqanga Song (Amandebele) and the Ingwebu People’s Choice Best Male.

The Tsholotsho-born musician was a crowd favourite at the awards and nothing less is expected from him tonight.

What is left is for lovers of the genre to come in their numbers as the stage is set for the show.