Ex-Macheso drummer makes waves in UK

RISK-TAKING is something that former Ochestra Mberikwazvo and Orchestra Dendera Kings drummer Thompson Chauke has never been afraid of in search of fulfilling his goals.

Growing up in Chiredzi, known for its sugarcane which unfortunately benefits foreigners with locals wallowing in abject poverty, Chauke did not have it easy in his early years.

From walking bare-footed 7km as a 10-year-old in order to watch James Chimombe and Pop Settlers Band on their rehearsals, quitting school midway through secondary education to pursue a career in music, to ditching Alex Macheso on a tour of England in 2003, Chauke has thus come very far.

Now curving a name for himself in the County of Berkshire, England with his eight-member ensemble — Limpopo Grooves — Chauke who many remember as the jealous husband in Simon Chimbetu’s

video believes more is still to come.

With four singles:

(2010),

and (all released in 2013), under his belt and fast becoming a heat in English parties in the County, the Reading-based artist believes the journey has just begun.

“All my life I had played for oth- er people so I wanted to be my own man. I had learned a lot while working with Macheso, Chimbetu, Peta Teanet, Stella Chiweshe and System Tazvida, but I never wanted to be an imitation of these guys. I also wanted to reach out to an international audience. It is unfortunate that all the bands that I worked for in the past all focussed on just the Zimbabwean audience,” he said.

It is with this in mind that upon settling in the United Kingdom, Chauke formed the Limpopo Grooves comprising himself as composer and drummer, compatriots Shadreck Mugede (rhythm guitar), Fungai Gahadzikwa (mbira), and Britons Lawrie Wright (lead guitar), Hamish Stewart (Percussion and key board), James Smith (bass), Annie Parker (saxophone), and Maria Glenister (backing vocalist).

“We are not yet there, but our music is being well-received here in England. We have released four singles so far and perform in live shows. The English community is very supportive as they invite us to perform at their parties and festivals. It is unfortunate that the Zimbabwean community here has not really accepted us. It’s something that I can’t explain because I do not know the reasons. We are not the only Zimbabweans doing well here. Aaron Manatsa’s Heritage Survival is also doing well.”

“Our aim is to integrate cultures, hence the name Limpopo Groves. The band derives its name from the river which passes through the borders of Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa before pouring into the Indian Ocean. In my mind, the Indian Ocean is the larger world,” he said.

Chauke further explained that though their songs are mostly in Shona, Glenister adds English choruses when they perform live.

“Our first single is a tribute to my daughter who died in 2007. Then there is

and which advises Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to behave well. did well here on the Berkshire Borough on the chats where it was on position three for three weeks,” he said.

Chauke was born in Chiredzi on September 23 1973.

Like most local boys, he could not afford shoes and would walk 7km just to watch James Chimombe-led Pop Settlers during their rehearsals.

“I would take my sugarcane and eat it on my way to the band rehearsal venue. I would just sit outside. It was then that the late Ronnie Mudzinganyama noticed me and asked why I was always sitting there. I told him my wish to play the guitar and he started teaching me,” he said.

While in Form Three, Chauke joined a musical group, Dindingwe on their eight day tour of Mutare, Birchenough Bridge, Checheche, Chipinge and Chimanimani although it was school time.

“That is when I bought my first pair of shoes and sadly I did not return to school. The headmaster asked me to apologise on assembly and I only said; ‘even an innocent Jesus Christ was crucified,’” he said.

At that same time, Dynamic Brothers had just lost key members, among them his brother Thomas. Unfortunately the band owner had a contract to perform at Birchenough Inn and Chauke took the opportunity.

In the 1990s, Chauke teamed up with Amon Mvula in South Africa and was a key member of Khakhathi Band.

“That were exciting times, but I was ambitious and joined Teanet. Life was exciting those times as we had almost everything,” he said.

It was after Teanet’s death that Chauke went back home and teamed up with System Tazvida.

“We did 16 songs with [System] Tazvida and most of them were re- leased when he was already dead. Some of the songs are

I played the drums in all these songs.”

“However, money was not good, so I joined Robbie Chagumuka and did two of his last albums. We had similar money problem and moved to Simon Chimbetu, the only band that could afford to pay me,” he said.

However, he did not stay long at Chimbetu’s band as he joined Stella Chiweshe. In between he also worked with R and K sounds.

It was in 2000 that he joined Macheso and was part of the group that worked on

and His marriage with Ochestra Mberikwazvo came to an end in 2003 when the band toured the United Kingdom.

“I wanted to become my own man and saw the opportunity. Music is a great way of integrating cultures. It has not been easy for Limpopo Grooves, but we will get there,” he said.