Concert Review- Bloomington Alternative, June 29, 2005
by Anthony Scott Piatt and January Jones
Bonnie Raitt has referred to Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi as a cross between soul shouter Otis Redding and reggae legend Toots Hibbert. Both Toots and Tuku play peoples’ music, where local/live performances are important. The message may be political or spiritual but, the music is infectious.
The driving rhythms and blunt lyrics ultimately support the people and country loved by the artists. While Toots and Tuku share a rasp as their regional patois color their songs, it comes down to soul and fire.
Since the late 1970s, Tuku and the Black Spirits have been playing all over their native Zimbabwe and the world with their unique mix of traditional African mbaqanga, jiti, chimurenga and katekwe music. Tuku’s sound is all his own, though. In fact, it’s called "Tuku Music."
Tuku, who has played the Lotus World Music Festival, performed at The Music Mill in Indianapolis on June 19.
The Mill is a pretty classy joint with a large, unencumbered stage, a well-rounded if small bar, and pleasantly clean bathrooms. The crowd was enlivening, revealing large African-Indiana support, with many Zimbabweans and Kenyans in the mix.
The play back and forth between Tuku and the audience was irresistible. The audience got lost in "Tuku Music," which is full of sound and unstoppable beats. For example, the mbira is one of the instruments played, but it’s used in the context of the nine piece Tuku and the Black Spirits.
Here, the mbira blends well with dual percussion, guitars, bass, keyboard, Tuku’s voice, and two back-up singers. The funk energy of the Black Spirits stands in contrast to the sleepier mbira ramblings of, say, fellow Zimbabwean Stella Chiweshe.
On stage Tuku sings and plays guitar, rouses the crowd, points the finger, pokes the finger, jumps around and dances down the line with the band. Singing in Shona, an indigenous language in Zimbabwe, Tuku’s songs blend infectious rhythms and melodies with lyrics that are socially conscious and touch on economic, cultural and family issues.
Just listening to the music is a step towards delight, but if you miss what he is saying you will also miss another reason why he is so good.
In 2003 Tuku was on the cover of Time magazine as "The Voice of the People". This distinction is appropriate because he sings openly about poverty, corruption, injustice, AIDS, violence and even rape. In a song about the AIDS crisis, he says "how painful it is to look after someone u know is gonna die/when they have AIDS/ this person has gotten something that will lead to their death."
Another kick of truth comes through in "What Has Gotten Into Us" when he says "let me keep quiet/ this is scary/how can u rape a child before she has matured/men, what has got into us?"
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Tuku Music - What has got into us?
by Anthony Scott Piatt and January Jones
Bonnie Raitt has referred to Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi as a cross between soul shouter Otis Redding and reggae legend Toots Hibbert. Both Toots and Tuku play peoples’ music, where local/live performances are important. The message may be political or spiritual but, the music is infectious.
The driving rhythms and blunt lyrics ultimately support the people and country loved by the artists. While Toots and Tuku share a rasp as their regional patois color their songs, it comes down to soul and fire.
Since the late 1970s, Tuku and the Black Spirits have been playing all over their native Zimbabwe and the world with their unique mix of traditional African mbaqanga, jiti, chimurenga and katekwe music. Tuku’s sound is all his own, though. In fact, it’s called "Tuku Music."
Tuku, who has played the Lotus World Music Festival, performed at The Music Mill in Indianapolis on June 19.
The Mill is a pretty classy joint with a large, unencumbered stage, a well-rounded if small bar, and pleasantly clean bathrooms. The crowd was enlivening, revealing large African-Indiana support, with many Zimbabweans and Kenyans in the mix.
The play back and forth between Tuku and the audience was irresistible. The audience got lost in "Tuku Music," which is full of sound and unstoppable beats. For example, the mbira is one of the instruments played, but it’s used in the context of the nine piece Tuku and the Black Spirits.
Here, the mbira blends well with dual percussion, guitars, bass, keyboard, Tuku’s voice, and two back-up singers. The funk energy of the Black Spirits stands in contrast to the sleepier mbira ramblings of, say, fellow Zimbabwean Stella Chiweshe.
On stage Tuku sings and plays guitar, rouses the crowd, points the finger, pokes the finger, jumps around and dances down the line with the band. Singing in Shona, an indigenous language in Zimbabwe, Tuku’s songs blend infectious rhythms and melodies with lyrics that are socially conscious and touch on economic, cultural and family issues.
Just listening to the music is a step towards delight, but if you miss what he is saying you will also miss another reason why he is so good.
In 2003 Tuku was on the cover of Time magazine as "The Voice of the People". This distinction is appropriate because he sings openly about poverty, corruption, injustice, AIDS, violence and even rape. In a song about the AIDS crisis, he says "how painful it is to look after someone u know is gonna die/when they have AIDS/ this person has gotten something that will lead to their death."
Another kick of truth comes through in "What Has Gotten Into Us" when he says "let me keep quiet/ this is scary/how can u rape a child before she has matured/men, what has got into us?"
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