BULAWAYO - Bulawayo Jazz lovers in Bulawayo have been afforded another rare opportunity to have a feel of the tantalising jazz sounds.

This follows the recent move by two Bulawayo jazz music groups the Cool Crooners and the once forgotten pre-independence group Submarine Jazz Band in clinching a weekly performance deal with a local joint, Club 40-40.

The deal will see the two Bulawayo-based outfits clashing every Wednesday nights in what has been dubbed the Jazz Night and tonight (Wednesday) will present the debut show.

Club 40-40 which is only a few months old in business has proved to be a reliable “gig” epicentre as the owners have apparently brought a new dimension in the showbiz fraternity.

Ever since the joint opened its doors to the public, it has seen the likes of Bev, Zoey, Cool Crooners and the Outfit among other performances at the venue, hence its sudden popularity with revellers.

However, on the latest development, it is the return of the once popular jazz outfit, Submarine which for years now has been in active in the showbiz arena owing to economic challenges that have been bedevilling the country for the past decade.

Submarine band leader George Salimu told the Daily News about the return of his band and the latest development.

“We have been around save for the fact that we were somehow on a low profile and most of our members are still around. We have regrouped and we are as good as ever before. So far we have done a number of shows around the city,” said Salimu.

As Submarine, Salimu said they also clinched a deal with Rainbow Hotel in Bulawayo for monthly shows.
About the new deal Salimu said: “The move was going to attract more attention to the jazz industry in this part of the country.”

“This is what we have always hoped for, you would realise that at the turn of the millennium all the odds seemed to have turned against this trend of music,” he said.

“Up until now jazz music is not something that one could talk about here because it had been completely overshadowed by house music,” the jazz musician said.

He explained: “What we are saying is we need more spaces like this club which are prepared to provide space for jazz artistes.”

Timothy Mkandla spokesperson of the indefatigable Makokoba-based Cool Crooners hailed the development saying it was the way to go for the revival of jazz music.

“It’s a noble move because this shows that jazz is powerful and needs to be propped up in this city as has been the case in the past,” he said adding that the move was set to improve the welfare of local artistes.

Salimu said they will also use the show tonight to re launch their 2007, eight-track album called Makorovera adding that this will pave way for their full-fledged return.

He added that their combination with one of Zimbabwe’s oldest jazz outfit the Cool Crooners was certainly going to bring back old memories to jazz enthusiasts.

Bulawayo has a number of young musicians who are venturing into the jazz genre however lack of better joints to showcase their talent has worked against their favour.

Most joints in the city have been castigated for their selfishness by offering local artists peanuts after performances in a move that has seen them failing to make a mark in the competitive industry.