By BoSsT0nY
071 8188 342
Four Brothers {Marshall Munhumumwe Never Mutare,Edward Matigasi ,Alick Chipaika were a jit-pop group from Zimbabwe and amidst the bustling streets of Harare in the late 1970s.
These young men dreamt of creating a sound that would carry the heartbeat of their people. Marshall had that soulful voice, Never the steady rhythm, Edward with sharp guitar riffs and Alick rounded off playful bass lines. Their signature sound echoed the ancient mbira but danced to with modern energy bitwit their sound jit-pop emerging with songs being sung in the Shona language.
Back then bands in Rhodesia were not allowed to play traditional African music so they therefore opted for rock and roll cover versions of well-known artists such as the Beatles and took up residency position at the Saratoga bar in Harare.After the Chimurenga war of independence in Zimbabwe, it became possible to again play traditional music.Their recordings were mostly done at Shed Studios by Bothwell Nyamhondera during sessions for Gramma Records with Munhumumwe penning most of the band’s songs and unusually being both the lead singer and drummer.
Their first song and gold-selling hit in Zimbabwe,Makorokoto,celebrated Zimbabwean independence and is still getting fair play to this day.Their music travelelled across oceans, carried by BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, who played their songs to audiences in London where they also recorded four radio sessions for his show Desert Island Disc and he regarded them the best live band in the world.
After signing a deal with British record label Cooking Vinyl, the band toured the UK, Europe and Canada though at this point a rift appeared between Marshall Munhumumwe and Patrick Mukwamba as he claimed he was cut out of the deal and left behind. The tour apparently brought the band a greater degree of musical freedom, enabling them to buy new instruments and record more.
In 1997 founder member Marshall Munhumumwe suffered a stroke, following a car crash and was unable to continue to perform with the band and Albert Ruwizhi took the position. Munhumumwe died age 49 in 2001 and the following year bass guitarist Never Mutare died. The last surviving member, Frank Sibanda, died peacefully in December 2010.
In 2007, former band member James Nyamande, who had been kicked out by Frank Sibanda after its demise in 2002, attempted to resuscitate the band but failed after he had formed his own band, the Makombe Brothers, which performed several Four Brothers songs.In 2012, Nyamande released an album under the Four Brothers name in an attempt to maintain the band’s legacy, but was ordered by a civil court not to use the name, after objection from Marshall’s family. In 2016, Marshall Munhumumwe Jr. joined the new Four Brothers and or Makombe Brothers band as their administrator to maintain his father’s legacy.
The band has several best-selling albums such as Tonosangana Ikoko, Rugare, Ndakatambura Newe, Bros, Rudo Chete, Mbereko Yakaramba, Manga Manga and Ruvengo with multiple chart-topping singles being Mbereko Yakaramba, Rudo Chete, Mandega whilst Pasi Pano Pane Zviedzo appears on the 2006 compilation in tribute to John Peel Right Time, Wrong Speed.
The Four Brothers since became ambassadors of joy, showing the world that African music can be both deeply traditional and refreshingly modern and they remain popular at gatherings and cultural events.
