Museve

Museve

Museve is a popular Zimbabwe music genre. It derives its name from the Shona word which means an Arrow. This is generally so because the music is considered to have a very fast tempo, especially the beat and is characterised by fast dance routines such as 'Borrowdale dance" popularised by Alich macheso. Artists include Simon Chimbetu with his brand of sungura, Nicholas Zachariah known as Madzibaba or Senior Lecturer who has nurtured most of today's artists, Mitchell Jambo, Tongai Moyo and Alick Macheso. Earlier groups/musicians include Leonard Dembo now late whose hit song Chitekete broke sales records and was played at a Miss World contest, James Chimombe, late as well, Biggie Tembo, Marshall Munhumumwe leading the Four Brothers (they were not brothers and were more than four) and the Bhundu Boys playing Jit.

The more famous names include Oliver Mtukudzi, internationally acclaimed and a Kora Award winner. There is also Thomas Mapfumo now based in the United States of America who plays Chimurenga music. Another big musician is Leonard Zhakata who began as part of the Maungwe Brothers with his cousin the late Thomas Makion before they went their separate ways in 1994.

The Ngwenya Brothers is another group who were popular not only in Zimbabwe but regionally in the '90s even touring countries like Mozambique. Other musicians like Alick Macheso have lost band members when touring the United Kingdom where there are many Zimbabweans living there who enjoy a good dance from music from home.

There s also Mbira led by musicians such as Chiwoniso, Mbira DzeNharira and their splinter group Maungira eNharira, Ambuya Stella Chiweshe among others.

Other leading female musicians include Busi Ncube formerly of the popular 80's group Ilanga which split up and had members such as Don Gumbo, Andy Brown among others.

Solomon Skhuza, Nduna Malaba or Ndux Malax, Christopher Shoko, Ndolwane Super Sounds sing or sang in the other languages of the country Ndebele, Kalanga etc.

Paul Matavire now late was one of the more recognised disabled but brilliant musicians of his time fronting the Jairos Jiri band before branching out on his own.

Gospel is also big in Zimbabwe for the social conscious with musicians such as Jordan Chataika, Brian Sibalo and Mechanic Manyeruke among the pioneers. Lately female artists now dominate with names like Fungisai, Mercy Mutsvene, Spiwe Chimuti, Shingisi Suluma, Olivia Charamba, Armanda Sagonda and Primrose Simeti just to name a few