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RECORDS: MATESO CHIBITE MKUKI YA ROHO ASSEMBLY
1938 - 2003
TANZANIA
Language: | Gogo Swahili |
| Genre: | Traditional folkmusic |
| Instrument: | Male vocals Thumb piano Calabass violin |
Articles: Article On Hukwe's death
On the Internet Discography On the deaths of Tanzanian musicians
"I can say only a few sentences in English", admits Hukwe Zawose in an interview with Masoud Masoud of The Guardian. "I can say 'good morning', 'how are you?' 'I'm fine, thank you'. If they ask where I come from I say I come from Tanzania – isn't that enough?"
Hukwe Zawose has had no formal education to speak of. All he has are a few days at the mission school in the Dodoma region at the beginning of the 1940s. Nevertheless, this hasn't prevented him from becoming one of Tanzania's most prominent musicians who has taught at "Bagamoyo College of Arts" over the years. He has also been given an honourary doctorate degree at the Finnish Sibelius Academy.
In recent years Hukwe Zawose has had an international breakthrough as an isumbu player.(Isumbu is the Gogo people's name for thumb piano.) This has led him to most African countries, as well as Japan, China, Russia, Australia and Canada - also Norway, where he participated in the Tatunane group's NORAD sponsored tour in 1993.
Overall, Hukwe Zawose has been a success with his virtuoso thumb piano playing and his mighty voice that stretches over 5 octaves, from deep bass to falsetto. He can roar like a lion one minute and trill like a bird the next.
He is working on a variety of compendium albums of African folk music and has released two solos album via Realworld. Today, Hukwe Zawose stands out as one of Africa's most important traditional musicians.
Hukwe Zawose died December 30th 2003 in his hometown Bagamoyo having been ill for a short period of time.
Relevant artists: Tatunane Geoffrey Orema Mradi Group Samite
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Last Modified:
22 nov 2009
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MATESO Triple Earth/1987
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CHIBITE 
Realworld/1996
Lovely album, with Zawose's thumb piano as the featured instrument throughout. A mixture of traditional songs from the Gogo tribe in central Tanzania, and more modern political songs. The only minus is that there is too little variation for an entire album; too many similar songs, sung in similar vein, and with over-simple arrangements.
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MKUKI YA ROHO
Womad Select/2000
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ASSEMBLY Realworld/2001
A different album from Hukwe and Charles Zawose this time, in cooperation with keyboard man Michael Brooks. As stated many times in this guide: To unite traditional folque music with modern hi-tech is not easy. What Hukwe also says on the record. Still there are many positive attempts, I think the band succeeds in the slower songs, like "Chilumi Kigumu" and "Sina Raha". The problems occur when Michael Brooks tries to funk up the music. Hukwe and Charles Zawoses formidable voices, with the help from a sensous Marie Daulne from Zap Mama, stand well against the synth (what else?) and the different programmed sounds, but the traditional instruments can hardly be heard. All in all an exiting experiment (sic) with many good attempts, but our good Gogo friends don't succeed completely with their new deal. However; if they take care of the positive experiences it might definately take off next time!
KJØP PLATE Editor: Bjørn-Erik Hanssen
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