Ian “Huchi” Sambiri
By Godwin Makoho
Following a 7 year sabbatical, Mabvuku-raised Afro-jazz artiste, Ian Sambiri is set to bounce back with a new album titled “Zvipande”.
The album, which carries a dozen tracks, is set to be released mid-October.
Sambiri, the Dinhidza Tribe Band frontman, last recorded an album in 2015 in Capetown, South Africa after which he shelved his music career.
But following some work behind the scenes over the years, the Mabvuku raised jazz crooner is ready to relaunch his career.
He told Newsreel Zimbabwe that going forward he will be releasing albums yearly, tapping from his more than 400 unrecorded songs pool.
“I am back with a bang now and I promise my fans good music which I have been working on in the background.
“I have more than 400 unrecorded songs which I’m working on so I will be taking songs from this pool in my upcoming albums,” said Sambiri.
Recorded at Lurvel Studios in Harare, his forthcoming album carries songs framed around social themes that include peace, unity, love, respect and hard work. The album also records Sambiri’s personal life experiences.
Award winning gospel sensation Agartha Murudzwa features on the track “Magumete”.
Some of the songs to watch include “Ma V11”, “One Family”, “Njuga”, “Chandagona Hapana”, “Usabvunze” and “Ndarasa mwana”.
Born in Buhera 44 years ago, Sambiri grew up in Mabvuku, Harare where he attended primary and secondary school. It was at Mabvuku High school that that he took the most important step, forming a band in 1998.
He named the band Dinhidza Tribe, a derivative from Dinhidza mountain in his rural home, Buhera.
After completing his form 4 in 1999, he recorded his first album, which was purely gospel. His parents had convinced him to sing gospel music, owing to their Christian beliefs.
After falling in love with the music of award winning jazz musicians, Oliver Mtukudzi and Bob Nyabinde, Sambiri switched to jazz, a genre that he says has become part of his DNA.
“I switched to jazz after conviction from Dr Oliver Mtukudzi and Bob Nyabinde music. I am now a jazz musician and my blood is Afro jazz,” said Sambiri.
The talented songwriter’s music journey has not been short of challenges.
His first hurdle was the studio demands in his formative years, which led him to quit music. He would record his second and third albums years later- 2013 and 2015 respectively but he did not market them due to financial challenges and lack of support from social structures.
Said Sambiri: “I had to quit music due to challenges I faced- family, finance and the demands at the recording studio, You know those days we were recording with Grammar Records, which was very strict to new comers.”
Although he stopped recording, Sambiri did not stop writing music. According to him, his pool now has more than 400 songs.
The jazz crooner, also known as Huchi in music circles, says he will harness technology to connect with the audience and monetise his works.
“I will use online platforms to push my music as well as monetize to counter the manipulation of technology by pirates,” said Sambiri.
He looks to feature great musicians Salif Keita and Tanga weKwaSando in his future albums.
