Bhundu Boys - Kupedza Muto {1987}

#ethnic_music

Album/Single/EP : Tsvimbodzemoto

The Bhundu Boys are a Zimbabwean band that played a mixture of Chimurenga music with American rock and roll, disco and pop influences. Their style became known as jit, and is quite popular across Africa, with some international success.

Bhundu was the name given to the young boys who used to aid resistance fighters in the 1970s war against the white minority government. Lead singer Biggie Tembo was a Bhundu boy.

The Bhundu Boys reached the top of the Zimbabwean music scene, with four number one hits ("Baba Munini Francis", "Wenhamo Haaneti", "Hastisitose", and "Ndimboze") between 1981 and 1984. They attracted the attention of Owen Elias and his colleague Gordon Muir, a Scottish concert promoter , musician Champion Doug Veitch, who released an EP by the band in the UK in 1985. This attracted the attention of DJ's John Peel and Andy Kershaw who tirelessly promoted the band. Their album Shabini was released in 1986 and was one of the major independent sellers of the year, and one of Peel's all time favourite albums.

”I remember I think in the summer of 1986 going to see the Bhundu Boys for the first time with John at some college down in Chelsea. And I turned round to look at him halfway through the gig and there were tears streaming down his face, and he described the music as the most natural flowing music he had ever heard in his life.” (Andy Kershaw, Peel tribute program, 31 October 2004 (Andy Kershaw))