Multi award winning Devera Ngwena Jazz band founder, Jonah Moyo (69) spoke to Museve TV YouTube channel on his life and music.Jonah said his song Solo na Mutsai made him a household name in 1982.
He is the first Zimbabwean to have 120 000 copies, on the song called Ruva re Moyo wangu. He said he got over 42 gold discs in total. At that time legendary Leonard Dembo only got 8 gold disc and Thomas Mapfumo got 2.
Jonah Moyo said his mother was opposed to his music. However, his brother Aaron Chiundura Moyo was an author and also played some music. Johan said their father was a story teller and a leader in the SDA. This inspired the whole family to be artistic.
Key points from the interview
1. Solo na Mutsai was popular and was mostly used at weddings but was not the biggest seller.
2. His father had 8 wives and it was difficult to get school fees.
3. Jonah Moyo said he used to work in the farms as a garden boy and they used to live in a farm.
4. One day he saw John Tagwira playing a guitar surrounded by beautiful girls. He said on the day he decided to take up music.
5. Jonah said he decided to break the circle and left for Kwekwe with his friend and they would play in train stations.
6. One day he saw an advert while playing at Grachal beerhall which was seeking four band players in Mashava.
7. He applied for the job and after 2 weeks he was employed in Mashava.
8. This is how Devera Ngwena was started, it was a mine band which playes for the mine staff for free.
9. the first song that made the band popular was Devera Ngwena Zhimozhi, Robson Banda was on the bass, Innocent Mbiti was on Rythm, PatrickKabanda was on drums, Tongesai Machinya was on lead and I was on vocals.
10. The name Devera Ngwenya was the name of the band, Zhimozhi was the team in Mashava hence Devera Ngwenya Zhimozhi.
11. I took leave in 1979 and my brother, Joshua Hlomayi Moyo who was playing leade guitar for Thomas Mapfumo and I met them in Harare.
12. He invited me to a record company where they were recording and I was fascinated.
13. He took me to A.K. Mapfumo, who was a producer.
14. When we arrived in there, because I was used to singing covers, I dindnt have a band name. So when I was asked the band name, I said my band was Devera Ngwena.
15. We had a tour in Europe for 6 months and that was amazing. He visited England, Wales, Northern Ireland, German, Holland, Belgium, Scotland. He saw how musicians were respected there more than in Zimbabwe. The music was given the nickname, Beatles of Africa.
16. They were given a date for recording which was 2 weeks away.
17. I did not have any songs, and we had to create 6 songs quickly, we practised all night. The hit sing was Devera Ngwena Jazz band.
18. In 1982, we had the hit song Solo na Mutsai. A friend of mine called and told me that there are houses in Rhodene.He took me to real Estates and I paid $10 000 deposit and I paid. After that I went to Founders Building Society and I had a 25 years bond. I finished paying for this house in 2 years!
19. Jonah said he used he was inspired by real lice and Tongesai Machinya is still with him.
20. In 1990, when Namibia got independence, they were invited to perform at the inauguration.
21. His music was sold in South Africa in 1980. I went to Tusk and found 9 god disks and they never got that money.
22. Steve Roskey at Grammar was fired after revealing this.
23. Jonah said they never got that money.
24. On splitting to form Zhimozhi, he said at some point they had a car accident while travelling on duty. The mine refused to compensate us. At that time we decided to secretly leave. However, someone tipped off the mine bosses and he was put on discipline.
25. He was given a number of warnings. He was called to the Mine Superintendent.
26. The other three guys refused to leave and he left the work.
27. He moved to South Africa as a producer in Thohoyandou.
28. He left Zimbabwe because of the hardships.
29. Jonah said when one is popular they should prepare for the future so that they do not become destitute.
30. He has a son at Nedbank South Africa and one in Japan.
31. The girl was married and she has a BCom in Accounting.
32. His son Shepherd Shapiro Moyo has a degree in art, he is a bass player.
33. Jonah is now a lecturer at the GZU and he has a new album called case closed.
Jonah said in the past there was quality in music. Now, everyone can produce music in their own studios.
Please watch the video above this post for more details.
