Tuku's solo Fest promises fireworks

Suzanna Owiyo

The 5th edition of the annual SPAR Solo Fest to be held at Pakare Paye Arts Center on December 3, 2011 will this year witness a lot of interesting changes in terms of artists taking part. The festival, for the first time will see the introduction of regional artists, developmental workshops and will run for two days. The Solo Fest often staged on one day will this year have more acts for all age groups as school children from Norton, Bindura and Harare showcase their talent at a free show on December 2, 2011 from 2pm.

Another first in the history of the festival is the inclusion of famous regional artists such as South African Jazz star, Steve Dyer and Kenyan music diva Suzanna Owiyo. They will be joining leading Zimbabwean musicians like the artistic director of the festival, Oliver Mtukudzi, sungura aces Alick Macheso and Sulumani Chimbetu and mbira queen Chiwoniso Mararire who will all be performing solo.

There will be a multi-racial array of performing acts from all genres of art counting music, poetry, dance, comedy, drama and storytelling with the likes of multitalented performer, Mathias Julius, the comic Freddy Manjalima a.k.a Kapfupi, gospel diva Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave, dancer Beatrice Eastwood and Edith ‘WeUtonga’ Katiji among many. It is also the first time that the festival will have a developmental component. In line with Oliver Mtukudzi’s dream to nurture young talent, apart from mere entertainment and fun on the Saturday, an extra day to the festival has added for a training workshop for young artists. Funded by the Culture Fund the training will be taking place in the morning of December 2, 2011.

Initially a self-sponsored project funded by Mtukudzi, the festival has grown through the support from partners in the corporate sector with the SPAR Guild of Grocers being the main partner and music promoting entities like Tuku Music, Chipaz Promotions and Jazz 105 pledging their support. The Solo Fest, a brainchild of Oliver Mtukudzi was established in 2006 with the notion of providing an opportunity for individual artists to build up more self-reliance and faith in themselves and master the art of performing independently as solo talent and still entertain and make a living.

Admission into the festival on December 3 will require a cover charge of US$5 for adults while children have free entry. - Cecilia Kamputa for Zimbo Jam