The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube
Entertainment Correspondent
IN a refreshing development for local showbiz, veteran producer, lyricist, vocalist and bass guitarist, Peter Muparutsa, is back in the studio.
Muparutsa is working on a new offering set for release before end of the year.
The 64-year-old, who is one of Mutare’s living music legends, has been focusing more on music production at his PAYS Studios in Dangamvura.
He revealed to Post Entertainment early this week that something is brewing.
“We are working on something. I am currently in the studio working on something new that will come out soon,” he said.
Muparutsa, who is one of the original members of the iconic musical group, RUNN Family, recollected how they used to share the stage with renowned international artistes.
The development is a welcome, especially to the younger generation of artistes who has a lot to learn from the veteran artiste.
“RUNN Family was formed in the late seventies and in the eighties we did a string of recordings which included hit songs like Hatichina Wekutamba Naye which was a tribute to the late iconic President of Mozambique, Samora Machel; as well as Moyo Muti Unomera Paunoda, Inhapitapi Chete and Gumbo Mumba, Gumbo Kunze, among others.
“At the infancy of the Child Survival and Development programme, the group was commissioned to compose and record the theme song, Children on the Front Line, One Child Dies Every Four Minutes, for the symposium on child survival and development which was held at the University of Zimbabwe in 1989.
“RUNN Family was also commissioned to record a song, Ishe Komborerai President Mugabe at the inauguration of the late former President as the first Executive President of Zimbabwe,” said Muparutsa.
RUNN Family — which included band members such as Bothwell Nyamhondera on the drums, Gerry Muparutsa and Alois Muyaruka, shared the stage with international artistes like Harry Belafonte, Manu Debango, Maxi Priest, Princess, Jimmy Cliff, Misty in Roots and Gregory Isaacs.
They toured Europe with Stella Chiweshe’s daughter, Virginia Mukwesha, and performed at festivals in Germany, Switzerland and Holland.
In 1990, he left the stage and embarked on studio audio engineering and production with Gramma Records in Harare.
Muparutsa, fondly known as Cool Dude, sat on the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association Board of Directors from 2001 to 2006.
He was also involved in the Rebuild Sakubva’s music department, as well as setting up of a community recording studio at Sakubva Beit Hall, Mutare.
The Cool Dude has engineered and produced many groups, including Thomas Mapfumo, the late Oliver Mtukudzi, Talking Drum, Ilanga, Dudu Manhenga, Pengaudzoke, Leonard Dembo, Leonard Zhakata, Machanic Manyeruke, Charles Charamba and Hosiah Chipanga among others.
