Gospel artist-cum-producer goes Afro-jazz

GASEBALWE SERETSE
Staff Writer | Thursday March 4, 2010 00:00

 

'My voice is the best weapon that I am going to use to showcase my abilities. What makes my songs stand out is that they have positive messages that also happen to instill a sense of morality in young people,' he says. The artist has just finished working on an album that he hopes to release before the end of the month. 

The artist says that he is aware that there are well-established Afro-jazz artists in the country such as Punah Gabasiane, Nono Seile, Kearoma Rantao, Nnunu Ramogotsi, Lister Boleseng, Citie Seetso, Ndingo Johwa, Banjo Mosele and Socca Moruakgomo but he believes that he is ready to give them a run for their money.

Garogwe's debut jazz album contains songs namely, Ke A Gana (Ke Tshaba Rasephiphi)- which also happens to be the title track, Ba Ntshabile, Rutang Bana, Intshwarele, Le Wena Di Ka Go Ja, Sweetie Wame, Ke Ile Digawana, Phokoje, Cheri Dumela, Phutha Merwalo, Boela Lapeng and Shosho. The album was produced by Joel 'Ntsoro' Keitumele of Mokaragana fame. Garogwe, who originates from the Borolong village of Digawana, is mostly known in the music circles as a gospel artist. His involvement in the genre started when he became a born-again Christian with the Assemblies of God church. He released his debut album, Thandaza in 2001.

The artist's interest in music took him to Zimbabwe College of Music where he studied for a degree in sound engineering from 2002-2006 and the artist says it was at the college where he learnt 'the technicalities of music'.

After finishing his course, Garogwe joined Black Money Makers owned by popular kwaito-kwasa star Odirile 'Vee' Sento where he produced the pint-sized artist's Ditshipi Tsame, which saw him (Vee) making a comeback in the country.  Garogwe's other major production at the record label was Olebile 'Maxy' Sedumedi's Changane.   It was while with Vee that he was able to record yet another gospel album. Unfortunately for the artist, the album was not adequately distributed because around that time he severed his professional ties with Vee.

After his stint at Black Money Makers he went to Palapye where he joined a record studio called Ruffriddims owned by Moemedi 'Red Pepper' Ramogapi until the end of last year. Currently, his career has taken another turn as he has decided to become an independent producer. 'I quit full-time producing because I realised that doing so greatly compromised my career as an artist and this meant that I could not record,' says the 31-year-old artist, adding that  local studio owners do not take their producers seriously as they pay them peanuts.

He says as a result, he does not have much to show for the time he worked as a producer full-time.  In the current project, Garogwe has worked with Matheke Leteane and Joel Keitumele who are leading artists and producers in their own right.