Introducing Gwevedzi!
One of the best things about Play Music on the Porch Day is meeting and becoming friends with musicians around the world. The best example of this is Gwevedzi. Gwevedzi has been instrumental in helping Play Music on the Porch Day grow. We’ve been working closely together for many years now, and although we’ve never met in person, our friendship is deep. Thank you Gwevedzi for your work and commitment to this project! Together we will make a better world! (Learn More)
WHO IS GWEVEDZI
Gwevedzi afro acoustics band is a musical group based in Harare the capital of Zimbabwe and it was founded on the 23rd of June 2016 by Tinashe William Masangudza ,Nyasha Hugin Murada, and Wilfred Nikisi.
GWEVEDZI MEANING
Gwevedzi is a Shona name given to a suitor’s friend/messenger in a courtship process. Although these days it is not common, Gwevedzi really played a major role in issues to do with courtship since the suitors were not supposed to approach his lady directly hence the Gwevedzi came in to pay.
WHY THE NAME
Since most of our songs are about love the name simply explains the case of “why love songs?” and the answer would be because we are Gwevedzi…., so in general we are all about heart and soul touching issues especially love in particular. Another fact is that of the music itself , for instance if you take into consideration our generation, mbira music is not given that much attention due to a number of factors with the most common one being that it is considered as music for madhara (folk music) as it is deemed to be way too old, more so the mbira instrument is one instrument that has faced societal prejudice as it is perceived to be a demonic instrument based on its age, so as the youth of that same generation we took it upon ourselves to try and de mystify the instrument as well as broaden its circles of its adaptability as we play it in different styles than those that the people are used to hearing.
In this case this mission which we have vested upon ourselves is one which is similar to pursuing a girl for love, since we are trying to get the younger generation to appreciate our culture through a fusion of acoustic guitar African percussions and mbira in the music. So as the Gwevedzi does in convincing the girl to loving his/her friend, so are we in this case.
THRUST
Our main thrust is to create a new generational sound which appeals to both, the old and the younger generation through hybridizing the local African sound with the European hence the combination of guitar, mbira and percussions. We do also seek to bring in acoustic music as a genre in its stature on the local market and industry, more so being of Zimbabwean citizenry and also Shona speaking we wish to enhance the native language through music so as to preserve it for this and future generations since foreign languages are fast diluting our local native languages, last and most importantly, we seek to take the Zimbabwean sound to another level in this age where it is being slowly overtaken by exotic musical styles.
NHUNGO
Nhungo is a musical album which talks about migration focusing on a story of a young couple whose love story gets affected by migration due to the need for a better life,hence the husband leaves his newly found family behind as he embarks on a quest for greener pastures. NB: The story runs throughout the album.
TSAMBO
Tsambo is a 13 track album which speaks about love and courtship,from the early stages right up to the stage of marriage, telling a love story with an African setting.