Dudu’s spring jazz surprise

I saw drinks raining on those who preferred to get wet. Young jazz group, The Outfit, fronted by one Sam Siwela had the audience thoroughly entertained. Their sound was tight and was a perfect warm-up for Dudu Manhenga (pictured).
The revellers were an eclectic mix of pretty young things, Rasta, Caucasian, middle aged women dressed up to a teens. I saw some big boys with dough clinging lackadaisically to their lagers. A couple of media hacks such as my sister Daisy Jeremani sat clustered in a corner busy on their phones quite possibly Facebooking.
Before too long, Outfit was done with their set. It was Dudu’s moment now. The lady MC had everyone on their feet to give props to Dudu but she took a while to come on. They were expecting Dudu to come from the obvious side of the stage but she didn’t. True diva style, she emerged from the entrance side full throttle singing away to the delight of her ready fans.
Dudu wiped the slate clean and had the audience rapt and enchanted by her regal ways. She had her usual headress on and a long form hugging red dress. She scatted and wowed the fans with her distinctive stage persona. Her band was tight. When she finally closed her set with Akana Nkomo, she brought the house down. At a subliminal level, the audience understood that it was time to dance and boy was the groove truly rocking. Radio should play these kinds of melodies.
“Man I like Dudu because sings consciousness,” offered Tafadzwa Gwetai (visual artiste and brother to the late Yvonne Vera). Dudu seems to mean different things to different people. To me she represents an artist very much in touch with her femininity and artistry.
She a brand that symbols African family values (her hubby is her drummer Blessing Mparutsa) royalty, charm, grace and excellence. She is not a seductress. She is an enchantress who titillates you with her stage act and storytelling. If I have any critique of her, it is that maybe she should go easy on the scatting, that is all.
My judgement of the night or rather the Spring Jazz Festival is, “It was a success” – because Dudu handled the business. She was the triumphant jazz element alongside her band Color Blu and Bulawayo upstarts Outfit. Alexio Kawara did well but he is essentially a pop musician. It does not have to be a bad thing that he is a pop musician.
Perhaps he should simply stick to pop music because he is out of his depth doing jazz in my opinion. Urban grooves made him and gave him the hits that the ladies love. So try as he might, he may always be that ladies’ man. If he is eyeing longevity, then he can go about doing the afro-pop thing like Ringo. That could suit him just fine.
Jazz is another game altogether. It is a game that belongs to Dudu. I am just saying.
The mamparas of the night were none other than the Cool Crooners, those old timers who had had me salivating with anticipation before they came on stage. You can imagine my disgust when later on, as Alexio was doing his thing on stage; one of the old geezers came to the stage trying to sing to the fans in a drunken stupor. Too late!
Apparently they had double booked themselves. The old madalas acted like naughty boys and made a serious miscalculation. Their late arrival at the Spring Jazz Festival was a non-event, thankfully for the festival organisers. When you arrive late the show goes on without you!