Ex-Black Spirits Members Revive Deep Horizon
The names Moses Mullah Nyaruka, Joseph Alphas and Jimmy Austin Manyunga do not mean anything to most people today yet they were the musicians who played with Oliver Mtukudzi for more than eight years.
These together with others were members of the Black Spirits when albums such as Muroyi, Pfambi (Shanje) and Africa among others were recorded. They were recalled for a tour of Germany in 1990 and for the live recording of the album Sakubva Concerts. Today Nyaruka and Alphas are trying to revive the Deep Horizon while Manyunga is retired. Nyaruka who taught himself how to play the guitar had huge interest in soccer but when he saw the late Manu Kambani performing with Dr Footswitch in Mbare, he was drawn into music.
“My father had his own music kit. He did not want me to have anything to do with music but I would teach myself when he was away,” said Nyaruka who grew up in Mbare where he attended the famous Boys’ Club at Stodart Hall. In 1977, Zexie Manatsa send for him and Nyaruka gladly accepted when offered a job in the Green Arrows. “I was there when Mawira Mombe, Madzimai and Tarovana Feya Feya were recorded,” he remembered. The late Jack Sadza who promoted Mtukudzi approached Nyaruka with another offer to replace an ill guitarist in 1978. At the time, Mtukudzi had recorded Dzandimomotera and was backed by Joseph Alphas, Jimmy Austin Manyunga, Kenny Munemo long before Robert Mtukudzi and Franco Hodobo came. “There were three girls too. Tsitsi, Matilda and Eva Mbeva,” said Nyaruka. “All the youngsters Mtukudzi sings about in his songs came after us. The likes of Job Muteswa and others.”
After seven long years, the trio decided to leave over money. “We left when we felt the money we were getting was not enough. We are not getting any royalties for the work we did,” he said. In 1990, Nyaruka said, Debbie Metcalfe asked them to return for a tour of Germany. “We were promised 200 deuschmarks per show,” he claimed and we performed nine shows. After the tour, we were paid for one show. We quit again.” This time, Nyaruka met the late Jonah Sithole who had just left Thomas Mapfumo and was reviving Deep Horizon together with the late Leonard Picket Chiyangwa and Shepherd Munyama.
At the time, Sithole had recorded his hit song Sabhuku and with the new line-up, he re-issued Sabhuku before recording Chenjerera Hupenyu. Then Mapfumo recalled Sithole and the Deep Horizon disbanded. Nyaruka who stayed at home most of the time had stints the Pied Pipers. When Sithole returned, he took the former members of the Deep Horizon to Mazana Movement backing Cde Chinx. But once again problems arose with the owner of the music kit and Dorothy Masuka recruited the members for a tour of Britain, Holland, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Belgium and Germany. On their return, Nyaruka was fired from the revived Deep Horizon because he had bunked performances.
“In fact, my father had died and I could not report for work,” he explained. Once again, he found himself stinting for the Pied Pipers but with the death of Sithole four years ago, Nyaruka and Alphas have revived the Deep Horizon. They play at the Florida in Queensdale every Friday and at The Kraal in Tynwald on Wednesday while on Sunday they entertain at Club Matute in Mbare.
[Via The Herald]
