Busi and Dudu thrill Harare audiences 23/11/06

; Dudu

HARARE – Busi Ncube, with her backing group Rain, and Dudu Manhenga with Colour Blu starred in a dynamic double-bill on Tuesday night at the Book Café – courtesy of Pamberi Trust.
Both accomplished and acclaimed artists in their own right, Busi and Dudu each gave outstanding original music performances, and also joined talents in a combined show – full of energy, emotion and good, good music. The ladies introduced their new CDs – Busi Ncube’s Malayisha, and Dudu Manhenga’s Jula – hot off the press.
These popular women are strong music leaders in the Zimbabwe industry, and both lead and manage their own groups. They have grown from local little-girls to high acclaim as singers, songwriters and performers, now travelling far and wide in Zimbabwe and abroad in pursuit and celebration of their success.
Busi started out as backing singer with the group Job’s Combination, moving on to Pied Pipers and several others, including a very successful period with the group Ilanga, along with the likes of Andy Brown, Don Gumbo, Keith Farquarson and others, during which she recorded the ever popular ‘True Love’.
She established her own BAND RAIN, who have performed, recorded eight albums and toured extensively in Zimbabwe and Europe. The band recently returned from performing at the MELA music festival in Norway, and will be back on tour early in the new year, with the new CD. Busi herself is part of an international collaboration of women artists who meet regularly in Norway to work and perform together, Women’s Voice (www.womensvoiceweb.com).
Dudu fronts with lead vocals COLOR BLU, a dynamic and professional young group formed in 2001. They recorded their debut nine-track afro jazz fusion album ‘Out of the Blu’ in 2003, which was warmly received by the music-loving public. In the five years since their formation, the group has performed widely at clubs and festivals in Zimbabwe and South Africa, often sharing the stage with big names such as Oliver Mtukudzi, Dorothy Masuka, The Cool Crooners, Judith Sephuma, Ray Phiri, Jimmy Dludlu, the late Jabu Khanyile, and many, many others.
Dudu emerged onto the music scene as a leader after long stints as backing vocalist for several groups including Oliver Mtukudzi & The Black Spirits, and Dumi Ngulube & Amagents. Her style is influenced by great African and jazz singers, and the dignity of her delivery is a credit to her and to her country, wherever she goes. The music of Color Blu has been accurately described as ‘an afro jazz adventure!’
Both Busi and Dudu are major contributors to the FLAME (Female Literary Arts Music Enterprise) programme, for the development and promotion of women artists into the mainstream of the arts, which is being run by local arts organization Pamberi Trust in cooperation with the Dutch agency HIVOS.
The FLAME programme has already conducted two workshops for women artists, ‘Divas Deliberate’ in October, and ‘A Workshop for Women Artists by Women Artists’ in November, along with several music events featuring various female artists.
Busi and Dudu assisted in the development of the programme for the workshops, identifying needs of established and upcoming women artists, and making a start to address those needs.