James Chimombe
James Chimombe was a talented Zimbabwean vocalist and guitarist who is regarded as one of the post-Independence revolutionaries in the music business. He rose to national stardom in the early 1980s with hits such as 'Chigwaya' and 'George Mudiwa' which transformed Zimbabwean music from what it was in the colonial era to what it is today. He was born in Chivhu in 1951 and raised in the capital Harare in Highfield. His son, Freddy Chimombe who wanted to revive his father's legacy released an album titled 'Nherera', which unfortunately did not do well. Chimombe started his career while attending a school in Highfield and this is where he first learned to play the guitar. To gain more experience and to horn his career, he joined the Pop Settlers band as a vocalist with the Harare Mambos. He also played with the Acid Band, the Ocean City Band, Huchi Band and the OK Success. It was with the latter that his talent was first discovered when he wrote “George Mudiwa” for the band in the 1970s. However, credit was given to the whole band rather than the individual. The band instantly became popular and started playing in nightclubs and was contracted by the manager Paul Tangi Mhova Mkondo to perform at Mushandira Pamwe Hotel in Highfield for nearly three years before Chimombe decided to form his own band. Apart from the afore mentioned bands, he also spent a considerable amount of time playing with a rhumba outfit, the Real Sounds of Africa band since his music was at first inclined towards rhumba. In 1982 he released his first single, 'Chigwaya' which became an instant hit. The following year he joined an already existing band, Ocean City Band, as lead vocalist and guitarist. The band became the resident band at Paul Tangi Mhova Mkondo and Maud Mkondo’s Restaurant, Sports Club and Night Club called Club HideOut 99 situated between Lochinvar and Southerton. Mkondo and Chimombe along other legendary musicians knew each other from the days of Highfields entertainment at Mutanga and Mushandira Pamwe as Mkondo was the pioneering music promoter who had the license approved. It is reported that this combination proved to be the peak of Chimombe as most of his hits songs such as 'Cecilia', 'Siya Waoneka', 'Mavanga' and 'Jikinya' were recorded with this group. He later left the band in 1988, to form his own 'Huchi Band' with whom he recorded two albums. Chimombe gave back to the community by teaching youngsters to play music through the ethnomusicology programme of the Zimbabwe College of Music.
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