Picky calls it a day at Tuku Music after 25 years

Picky calls it a day at Tuku Music after 25 years

FAREWELL: Picky (left) on stage with Mtukudzi

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AFTER 25 years performing, recording and touring with Oliver Mtukudzi - the longest serving band member of The Black Spirits - Erick Kasamba aka Picky is calling it a day to venture into business in the small mining town of Bindura, north of Harare.

Picky’s last official show was in Durban, South Africa, during the weekend of 21-22 June, at a peace concert with Tuku raising funds to support victims of xenophobic violence that rocked SA in recent months. Among nationalities displaced and killed were Zimbabweans.

But Picky is not exactly done, as yet. He returns for a one-off bash to bid farewell at a venue and date to be advised in due course, courtesy of Tuku himself and Tuku Music who are putting up the show.

A charismatic easy going man - almost unnoticeable until he landed on stage - Picky conceded developing and maturing as an artist during his time with Tuku and The Black Spirits, one of Zimbabwe’s oldest bands with a history dating back to 1975.

He mastered various percussions with the ingenuity of a grandmaster - a distinguished exponent of the arts in his own right who helped form, shape and develop that inimitable frontline backing Tuku on the vocals in between their infectious katekwe driven dances.

And Picky is a recording artist too. To his credit are singles, Mwana Mwana Chete, Sifikile done with Orange Juice Band, Ndangariro Dzangu (Ndichigunun’una seNherera) a remix from James Chitanga’s own version with the New Image Band. His sole album is Vakafa Vatambura.

END OF AN ERA: Picky on stage with Mtukudzi in Leicester last year

In the following interview with tukumusic.com Picky reflects on his career at Tuku Music and talks also about the new family business that will now be occupying his time as he retires from the rigors of regional and international travels, performing.

Tuku also speaks on how Picky contributed to the success of Tuku Music and how much he will personally miss his long time percussionist.

Question: How long have you been in music and with Tuku specifically?

Picky: I have been in music for a long time…as from 1980. But I have worked with Tuku for a cumulative 25 years, all these years we have been together but leaving and rejoining him and playing in between with others, the likes of The OK Success, Safirio Madzikatire and many others. However, the uninterrupted period I have spent with Tuku is 20 straight years.

Question: What are some of your memorable experiences working with Tuku all these years?

Picky: I learnt so many things from Tuku, too numerous to mention but particularly self-discipline, business conduct and humility. Tuku was so committed to work that he would arrive at a show venue before everyone else and that showed great commitment to work unlike other celebrities who behave in a wayward manner.

Question: Would you say in retirement from performing you will not have anything to do with music whatsoever?

Picky: No, its not that I have stopped music for good. I am a musician, I was born a musician, music is in me and it won’t be surprising if you see me appearing as a guest here and there but for now I want to concentrate on my business full time.

Question: What would you say to the fans and friends that you have built all these years about leaving Tuku arguably the top artist in Zimbabwe today?

Picky: It’s very sad I have to leave. I want to thank the fans for being very supportive. I wouldn’t have been successful today if people didn’t like and enjoy my work as an artist. There are some very good musicians out there, better than me, who have failed to make it simply because they haven’t been lucky to get supportive fans. I have been blessed with good fans all these years.

Question: Will you still be involved in recording?

Picky: Yes, I will record as and when its necessary because that won’t take much of my time from business, its only at performance level that I am quitting because that would require me to be away touring for months which I can’t afford now because I don’t have the time anymore due to business commitments.

Question: After 25 years working with Tuku, what would you say were your highlights?

Picky: There are many highlights but at recording level I think the memorable highlight is when we recorded, just the three of us, myself, Tuku and Robert (Tuku’s late sibling). We did Hallo and Right Direction which were hits. Then we did albums Strange Isn’t It and Nyanga yeNzou, then Chikonzi, then Grandpa’s Story…just the three of us me doing drums and backing vocals, Robert dealing with the keyboards and Tuku working on the main vocals and guitars. But it was the Tuku Music album that opened the world for me because the album was accepted worldwide. That was the album for me.

Question: Do you think Tuku Music will be the same again without your invaluable input?

Picky: I was only a flavour in Tuku Music but the bigger component of Tuku Music is still there as long as Tuku himself is around…he is the driving force and backbone of the music. The music still remains because flavours are only flavors and flavors can be changed to suit different tastes, different times and different themes.

Question: But fans may not necessarily see things that way?

Picky: For sure, fans may not see things that way because they had been accustomed to seeing me with Tuku for all these years…25 years is not a joke by the way, performing and recording and touring together. I will miss The Black Spirits Band and the whole of Tuku Music as a company.

Question: Do you have any plans at community level in Bindura to work with music?

Picky: Yes, the business I am getting into in Bindura is a jazz club where I will be working with music-minded friends…and already I have had the likes of Philip Svosve…Highway Drive, who have already performed at my club and the people in Bindura love jazz like nobody’s business. If it wasn’t for Tuku and my music talent combined, I wouldn’t have afforded opening this family business. I owe it to Tuku, really. I will be promoting bands and helping develop young talent from the mining communities in the neighbourhood such as Trojan and Shamva.

Question: What would be your farewell words to the fans?

Picky: My sincere gratitude for all the support over the last 25 years…I wouldn’t have accomplished much today if it weren’t for you. Thank you - I love you all and may God give you more and more blessings!

Tuku: Sad Picky leaving - will miss him.

Question: How did Picky add value to your music over the cumulative 25 years you worked together?

Tuku: Picky played a major role in my music and visually he was excellent…he was the best in presentation probably because his slender body and mine blended perfectly well on stage. He was dedicated and focused…he knew what he wanted to achieve and worked hard to make it.

Question: How would you describe Picky - the talent?

Tuku: Picky is unique…all these years I worked with him he didn’t only specialise in the percussions but he also covered drums. I remember once in London and the band had boycotted a show, over some misunderstanding, and Picky went on the drums and we completed the show and fans loved it. That’s when I realised Picky was multi skilled. He would also sing and dance. Picky is a complete package that any artist would envy.

Question: Are you sad Picky is leaving you?

Tuku: I am sad but I am also happy and proud of him that he worked with me all these years and is going away to start a family business and showing something for his work as an artist. There is a time to say hallo in life and a time to say good-bye. Other artists can see that you can work hard and achieve something that can sustain you in life. Music is no longer a joke but serious business. Picky built a beautiful home from scratch and went on to build premises housing his jazz club, and I am proud of him because all these developments are a result of the hard work that he invested in music.

Question: What lessons can young artists draw from Picky? He was an employee and now he is going to be an employer at his new business?

Tuku: No, not really! Picky wasn’t an employee at Tuku Music…you can’t employ an artist because art is shared human experience where artists engage each other rather than employ each other. What youngsters can learn from Picky’s experiences is that focus, direction, dedication and perseverance pay off in the end.

Question: Are you replacing Picky immediately and what replacement will you consider?

Tuku: You can never find a replacement for Picky. I have had artists coming and leaving and I haven’t been able to replace them because individual artists are unique in their own different ways. When Picky came to the band to replace Kenny (Munemo, who did backing vocals) he came in as Picky with his own different art and skills unique to himself, so you cant talk about a replacement but maybe we can get someone who has his or her own different vibes and style. We will see with time.

Question: How will your performances do without Picky considering that over the years you had developed a rare combination that blended perfectly well? Will you not suffer a big setback now?

Tuku: The band will not suffer without Picky but we will definitely, definitely miss him immensely because he had unique style and flair. He was a likeable, charming character. We will not suffer because as artists we have to be creative and find a way of moving on when we lose someone.

Question: Your band is getting thinner and thinner and if you were not to replace Picky on the percussions and backing vocals, it would mean The Black Spirits would now even be much, much more thinner considering that you had streamlined the band in recent years after you started concentrating more on the use of traditional instruments. Your fans may even suggest that the band is getting smaller and smaller that you will end up playing solo, all by yourself?

Tuku: (Laughter….) No, no, no, that is not so. What happens is that you can’t suddenly rush to replace someone. You want to study the situation and get the right artist who can bring in something unique to themselves and add value to the band. I remember there was a time in 1986 when I lost four artists in the band in a space of two months but we never replaced them for eight months, playing like that and fans still enjoyed the music although we missed the artists very much. Whenever we went on stage we would realise the artists were missing.

Question: Will Picky officially bid farewell to the fans at a public concert or he has left rather too unceremoniously?

Tuku: We are organising a show featuring Picky and it will be a farewell bash dedicated to Picky to enable him to say good-bye. Fans can expect that farewell show. – tukumusic.com
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