Tanga WekwaSando        

                                                                       by Tapfuma Machakaire                  

 

Veteran jazz musician Tanga WekwaSando is one artiste who thrives on mixing humour with a serious message in his songs. Scores of jazz lovers call him a lyrics guru and these are probably fans who had the opportunity to watch the musician live on stage or just listening to his soul-soothing music on radio.

Anyone who has attended Tanga WekwaSando’s shows will testify to the irresistible urge to jump to the dance floor and enjoy the iconic musician’s township Jazz beat. Tanga’s music is very popular as it address real life issues affecting the ordinary Zimbabwean.

John Masuku, a Veteran broadcaster who was a schoolmate of Tanga at Highfields Secondary in the 1970’s told 1ZimLegends that Tanga WekwaSando “loves documenting yesteryear township life through music. At school he was an ever jovial fellow who loved music and drama related activities.”

Earnest Tanga Kambadzo Sando was born on 1 August 1954. He grew up in Harare’s Highfields suburb in an area called Jerusalem. The young Tanga was adventurous and naughty. At age 10 he had started going to tea parties some “immoral” gatherings similar to shebeens where artists used to play makeshift instruments to entertain the patrons, and that is where he started developing an interest in music.” During that time I would even dance to the music and people would give me coins which made me feel proud,” narrates Tanga.

Tanga’s music career started in the Salvation Army church where he played the tambourine for the youth band while also learning to play the saxophone. The band would perform in public at Machipisa Shopping Centre after church services.

Greenford Jangano of the Harare Mambo band heard of the talented young boy who was playing music with a church band. He looked for Tanga and invited him to join his band.He was then doing his “O”Level studies at Highfields Secondary. With the Harare Mambos, Tanga started playing in popular clubs and hotels that included Mushandirapamwe Hotel, Queens Hotel and at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo.

After his stint with Harare Mambo, Tanga with Luis Mhlanga and Chris Chabuka formed Unitee Band in 1977 before forming Octave Band three years later, then joined by Bothwell Nyamhondera and Henry Peters.

Tanga’s time with Octave ended in 1979 when he left the country for Botswana where he played the trombone for the Gaborone Town Orchestra. As he was developing his music career, Tanga did not abandon his quest to pursue his education. He later travelled to the United States of America for further studies. He obtained an International Economics and Finance degree from the University of Indiana in the USA. While in the USA Tanga played in a band with five white musicians. He had his first recording in Bloomington. He later relocated to New York to pursue a music job and ended up being hired at Tower Record Department Store in the security section where he worked for three years before returning home.

When he returned to Zimbabwe, he formed the Giraffe band with Bothwell Nyamhondera.They recorded hits that included Mahobho and Vakomana Vekwedu. Vakomana Vekwedu was later to be used to celebrate the victories of the national football team the warriors. Tanga then embarked on a solo career.Tanga went silent between 1993 to 2000 and came back with a bang in 2001 with the hit song Wake (everyone has a lover) the album was recorded in his Hakuna Mata studios. Other songs on the album were Nyenyedzi yemugovera, Bharanzi, Shungu and Pafio  A year later he went on to release the album Shungu and in 2014 he released his third album Katsindi

Tanga is one of the few remaining artistes from Zimbabwe’s golden generation and has been recognised as a master of his art as a Nama award-winner in the year 2004 and All Africa Kora Award nominee for best Southern African Artiste 2005 for his tracks like Nyenyedzi, Paidamoyo, and WeKuMbare also remixes hits Wake and Buhera on the new album.

In 2013 Tanga launched the PaFio Outdoor and Entertainment Centre, an outdoor facility promoting artists. Each Saturday, Tanga invited guest artists to perform at the venue. The facility offered an opportunity for upcoming artists to share the stage with the country’s finest musicians. Some of the artists who have performed there include Bob Nyabinde Extra Large and Shinsoman. He was once a councillor for a Highfield ward in the Harare City Council.