BULAWAYO’s grand dads of jazz music – the Cool Crooners — will set the stage alight on Friday night at the Selbourne Hotel. LUYANDUHLOBO MAKWATI OWN CORRESPONDENT
The hotel’s bars were recently taken over by Sekunjalo Investments and plans are underway to turn them into the new home of jazz in Bulawayo.
On Friday, the Cool Crooners will be backed by resident DJ Cliff Skinner who will be playing yesteryear hits.
Sekunjalo director Dave Ncube said the Cool Crooners show was part of efforts to define the venue as a place for jazz and mature music.
“Sekunjalo Investments seeks to develop art and provide entertainment of high quality as the entertainment venue thrives to provide the fun lovers in the city with high quality performances from local artistes who are meant for the mature crowd,” he said.
Ncube said their aim was to work with corporates to nature upcoming artistes in the city.
He said budding artistes would be given a stage to showcase their work at the three bars.
The Crooners were formed by the members of earlier groups such as the Cool 4 and the Golden Rhythm Crooners in the 1950s.
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As others fell out, through death, the remaining members came together and formed the Cool Crooners.
Modest success in the 1950s was overshadowed by the upheaval of Zimbabwe’s liberation war and the excitement of independence in 1980.
But in 1992, the surviving members of the original groups joined forces and became a force to reckon within the country as far as Jazz is concerned.
Some of the jazz outfit’s albums include the hit Bhulugwe Lami and Isatilo in the mid 2000s.