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From Melissa Mpofu in Norton
Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi’s magical reunion with his sidekick, Picky Kasamba and the Golden Girls on Saturday gave the huge crowd that had come to celebrate his 40 years in the music industry in Norton something to savour. With other original Black Spirits members, James Austin on the drums and guitarist Maxwell Chiwara joining Tuku to start the 40-year journey, their on-stage understanding, instinctive and well-choreographed dance moves made it difficult to tell that they were no longer part of the band. Most of the members who separated with Tuku close to 10 years ago simply picked up from where they left. The Golden Girls, who had been with Tuku from the 80s and left in the early 2000s were a hit as they showed they still had it in them.

Performing hits like Tozeza Baba, Todii and Mumweya, Tuku’s celebration was completed by the presence and support of his former manager, Debbie Metcalfe; and Damon Forbes and Rob Cowling – then owners of Sheer Sounds – the recording company that signed Tuku in South Africa and broke his entry into that country in 1997. The trio was backstage for the duration of Tuku’s performance, nodding in support.

Soon after the original Black Spirits Band performance, the likes of Sam Mataure who joined Tuku Music in 2007 took over with the introduction of electric guitars and keyboard. Mataure was soon followed by Enock Piroro – bass guitar, Munyaradzi Ziya – keyboard, Alice Muringai – backing vocals, Fiona Gwena – backing vocals and Maxwell Chiwara – guitar who gave Tuku Music a modern touch. Together they performed hits including Shamiso, a song which Tuku said he composed when his daughter got married. With lyrics: “Shamiso, mwanangu we apa nhasi wandigona, ndichakutengera patapata, . . . ndichakutengera siripasi,” Tuku explained the song saying he bought slippers for his daughter as a wedding present so that she would not carry water on her head wearing heels when she is at her in-laws’.

Shamiso made the performance memorable by joining her father on stage to dance along with him.

But before Tuku took to the stage just before midnight, the students he has mentored over the years at his Pakare Paye Arts Centre including Afro musicians Ashton Nyahora better known as Mbeu, Munyaradzi Nyamarebvu and Donald Kanyuchi took turns to entertain patrons. It was clear they had been through Tuku’s hands as they were confident and presented well-choreographed acts.

One of the main highlights of the night was however South Africa’s Ringo Madlingozi who was invited by Tuku to perform a couple of tracks, with their collaboration – Into Yami being at the top of the list. Together they performed Ringo’s Sondela and Ngiyagodola. Before performing Into Yami which they remixed on stage and gave a Tozeza Baba feel, Ringo teased fans saying they had to pay some money for them to perform that song. As expected, no cent came his way and they went straight into business. Visibly not wanting to leave the stage after having enjoyed the feedback from excited patrons, Ringo interacted with fans, often giving them the mic to sing parts of Into Yami.

But the main dish was none other than Jah Prayzah, the man of the moment. When he took to the Pakare Paye stage at about 2AM, fans went into a frenzy, screaming for their icon. If anything, they seemed to have been excited most by Jah Prayzah who belted out top hits, Gochi Gochi, Chinamira and Eriza among others.