Zimbabwean bassist Josh Meck drops new album Nhaka Yemusha

The album is available for streaming on YouTube and featured songs include ‘Hundyire’, ‘Monera Taura’, ‘Mbuya Madhuve’ and ‘Baba Vararadza’. All the songs were composed, arranged and produced by Josh Meck.

“Times change, seasons come and go, but one thing that never changes is one’s roots,” Josh Meck said. “One’s cultural background will never change. Music evolves, sounds change, but one can never change the traditional rhythms that shapes our different cultural sounds.

“Many of my people in Zimbabwe have adapted to new music trends over the years. We have been accustomed to different styles and influences from abroad and in the process we have lost our God-given traditional sounds that were inspired by our cultural rhythms and our traditional instruments.”

He said the new album paid homage to Zimbabwean legends who had promoted the country’s music and culture. “I present to you Nhaka Yemusha, an album so pregnant with influences from our great predecessors – such as the late Oliver Mtukudzi, Thomas Mapfumo, Chiwoniso Maraire, Marshall Munhumumwe and Leonard Dembo – who rose to fame with traditional Zimbabwean rhythms. These sounds were rich in rhythms like katekwe, mhande, jiti and chimurenga music exclusively identifiable as Zimbabwean. Thus, remembering these legends gave me an idea to do a musical project that would bring back our lost heritage and export the unique Zimbabwean sound.”

Josh Meck has played with accomplished musicians such as Chiwoniso Maraire, Afrika Revenge, Victor Kunonga, Tanga Wekwa Sando, Max Wild and Akua Naru. He toured Germany, the UK and the Netherlands over a period of three years with Max Wild. He has also toured the US, France, Belgium, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Norway. His previous albums include Wanetsa, Time, Fruit Salad, Worship the Lord and Another Level.