HARARE - There is no argument over his musical talent and his fetish for younger women, but his love for the kitchen has for long remained a family privilege.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily News on Sunday sungura star and Orchestra Mberikwazvo leader Alick Macheso revealed that he loves to show his abilities with pots and pans.

“Ini ndinofarira kubika derere risina soda and ndinorida chaizvo (when I am home I love cooking especially traditional foods such as okra) “I usually bring new recipes and teach my wives to cook,” said the 44
-year-old sungura ace.

Macheso said men are good cooks, no wonder why they constitute the lion’s share of chefs in food outlets dotted around the globe.

Macheso is currently staying at his new house in Harare’s Waterfalls suburb with his first wife Nyadzisai Butau while the second wife Tafadzwa Mapako resides in Eastlea.

His move to marry the second wife left tongues wagging in the entertainment arena.

However, the two wives are reportedly living happily.

Besides helping his wives with cooking, the Shedia hit-maker is also known in music circles for helping to popularise the struggling and little-known artistes through his mentorship programmes.

He began with young dendera musician Tryson Chimbetu.

Chimbetu told the Daily News on Sunday that he owes Macheso a lot.

“He played a fatherly role to me and my band.

“We hogged the limelight when he introduced us to large crowds where we used to perform as curtain raisers,” said Chimbetu.

William Tsandukwa, the Orchestra Mberikwazvo band manager, said there are a number of struggling bands who are approaching them for assistance and they are helping one band at a time.

“We started with Tryson Chimbetu who used the opportunity to feature Macheso on his latest album Nguva YaChimbetu. After Chimbetu, we moved around the country with the Sounds of the Muddy Face and later weaned the group in order to “breast-feed” Progress Chipfumo.

“Chipfumo implored us for assistance since he is not feeling well.

“He will perform as an opening act to Macheso, the way Tryson and the Muddy Face used to do,” said Tsandukwa.

Chipfumo survived death through the skin of his teeth after contracting tuberculosis (TB) and this affected him musically.

Now he is back on track and the move definitely will going to benefit him and his band.

Chipfumo has a number of albums including Let them Know, Ndinovatenda Nei, Tsiurika, Usatamba Nemoto and his debut album Progress Report among others.

Chipfumo is well-known for his meaning-packed lyrics.

Macheso grew up in farms in Shamva and Bindura and he is often referred to as the King of sungura in the local showbiz arena and is among the best bassists on the continent.

Macheso dropped out of secondary school at Form Two owing to lack of funds and he moved to Harare in 1982 in search of employment.

While in the capital, Macheso could not get employment and this made him to asssemble the Seaside Band with the help of friends before he joined Vhuka Boys.

His acts at Vhuka Boys charmed the seasoned artiste Nicholas “Madzibaba” Zacharia who took him to form the Khiama Boys Macheso later formed the Orchestra Mberikwazvo band in 1998 after falling out with Zacharia.

He dropped his debut album Pakutema Munda in the same year and it was a success.

Vakiridzo, Simbaradzo, Zvakanaka Zvakadaro, Zvido Zvenyu Kunyanya, Vapupuri Pupurai, Ndezvashe-eh and Zvinoda Kutendwa all followed the album Pakutema Munda and propelled Macheso to the top.

Macheso’s music is not only popular with local people but even abroad.