EXUBERANT, youthful and energetic Mokoomba played Brighton Dome in the United Kingdom yesterday.
Their story is one of diversity and perseverance. Despite coming from one of Zimbabwe’s smallest towns, singing in a language foreign to even their countrymen, Mokoomba have never been deterred from their dream of making music.
The band’s style largely originates from lead vocalist Mathias Muzaza. Born to Angolan and Zambian parents, Muzaza has spent his life travelling in Southern Africa, absorbing its music heritage into his repertoire.
Fellow band members call him a walking, talking (but mostly singing) music library of Southern Africa songs. Muzaza said: “Languages have always come naturally. I now speak six. Wherever I go I want to learn the songs of the people I meet. It gives me inspiration and joy.”
Formed in 2001, Mokoomba’s road to fame started in August 2008 when, at the Music Crossroads Inter-Regional Festival in Lilongwe (Malawi), they won the chance to tour Europe and record an album.
The band released Kweseka in 2009, winning critics and audiences alike with their electrifying mix of Afro-fusion energy and traditional Tonga beats.
– Sussex Express
