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A new era in music

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SUNGURA maestro Alick Macheso might just have had the ‘Ahaa! moment’ in music.
FOR a moment, we can forget Baba Sharo as the sungura chief proponent and start to see him through the spectacles of connoisseurship, and regard him as the Albert Einstein of music (especially when the later gained prominence for the discovery of the relativity theory).
Einstein, in his theory of special relativity, determined that the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers and showed that the speed of light within a vacuum is the same no matter the speed at which an observer travels.
Worry not much about Einstein’s theory, it might be too complex for some of us to understand, suffice to say it was important for science — it was a breakthrough.
And this is exactly what Macheso’s latest offering is, it is an important breakthrough not just for the talented singer-song writer and bass guitarist, but for all musicians.
It is a case of music being conducted right, as a business
Tsoka Dzerwendo, Macheso’s 10th studio album, gives one that nostalgic reverie that reminds one of the days when Macheso belted out timeless hits like ‘Shedia’ and ‘Charakupa’.
For the first time, arguably, a local musician has approached his production with the finesse and professionalism practiced at the international platform.
Macheso has roped in the media for support, slashed the selling price of his music to parallel that offered by pirates, taken into account the needs of his listeners and eventually produced a well-polished piece of work.
The whole production is not just a masterpiece of art, but also an exhibition of business acumen.
The multi-pronged approach to production will definitely ensure that ‘Baba Sharo’ has a bountiful harvest from his labour; a labour of pain and love.
Beyond doubt, Macheso, this time, has worked in a manner that sought to protect and advance his interests and that of his fans in the ruthless field of music.
Pirates have wreaked havoc, breaking the spines of musicians and forcing some into a comatose state.
But the very much loved musician this time around had a laser focus on the maneuvers of the pirates and has deflected them, it seems.
For the first time a local musician has gone head-to-toe with the foe, the highly anticipated and screamed for album is being sold for a dollar, the price that pirates offer for all the sweat and tears of musicians.
All along that has been the message to the musicians — if the pirates can sell ‘their products’, which is in fact the musician’s, for a dollar and make money, why can’t the artistes do it too?
In the past few years that Macheso has seemingly been silent (composition-wise), it appears he has had the opportunity to educate himself in the business side of music.
The apparently simple and unsophisticated school drop-out is now unleashing an album in a manner that is making many of the so-called professional and educated artistes green with envy.
Clearly Macheso now understands more about marketing and distribution, the very nuts and bolts of the music business.
And his partnerships with the right people have paid off.
Through the Red Cross, an organisation, which endorses Macheso, with a wide reach extending down to the country’s districts, he has ensured that his album has a wide reach.
His engagement of services of Benji Nyandoro, JIVE Zimbabwe’s managing director, was a master stroke.
The director of the music marketing and distribution company has transformed the fortunes of many an artist through use of latest trends and technologies in the music industry.
Nyandoro, a vibrant and widely acknowledged hard worker in the music circle has made it a personal crusade to ensure that artistes are not ripped off and get to enjoy financial benefits from their work.
Macheso’s album will be sold online, especially benefitting fans abroad and further improving the coffers of the artiste.
On its first day, the album, through an effective marketing as well as distribution system, sold more than 100 000 copies.
The figure surpasses those made by the two great Leonards; Dembo and Zhakata.
What Macheso has achieved in a day, the two did over days.
In 1994 at the age of 26, Zhakata became the youngest Zimbabwean musician to sell more than 100 000 copies of an album while Dembo became the first Zimbabwean musician to break the 100 000 music record sales with Chitekete released in 1990.
Beyond doubt, past experiences have taught Macheso there is more to music than heartwarming lyrics and hypnotising instrumentation.
The formerly media-shy Macheso has now fully embraced the media, an admission on his part that the ‘fourth estate’ is not an enemy, but can be a vehicle for advancement.
As such, Macheso has in recent weeks been a regular guest at radio stations and featured in various newspapers.
He has successfully created hype for his new album.
He has not taken it for granted that it is a product that has been eagerly awaited by the legion of his fans and will fly-off the shelves on its own.
The album already has wings because many have been anxiously and curiously waiting for it, but still, like an astute professional who leaves nothing to chance, the artiste is blowing wind beneath the otherwise already strong wings.
It seems Macheso now realises that his music is more than about himself.
With trends rapidly changing on the music scene, there was definitely need for a different approach.
Typically, artistes think first of what they want to express and then hope the audience will favourably receive their products.
But this time it appears Macheso worked the opposite angle.
He thought first of the public, keeping focus on their changing needs and trends, he took into account their demands to create the appropriate product.
The above can be attested by the fact that more than once he promised that the album would come out only to withhold it and return to the drawing board.
The greatest lesson from Macheso is that in the music world, you cannot afford to relax and rest on your laurels, past achievements and titles, but have to fight everyday to remain relevant.

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