Peter Muparutsa: All time musical giant
AT 63, he keeps the creative fires burning.
He was one of the pioneers of contemporary music in the 1970s.
Nicknamed “Cool Dube” due to his humility, modest and assertive approach to art, Peter Muparutsa is one of Mutare’s living music legends.
He stormed the international music scene after releasing the song, ‘Hatichina Wekutamba Naye’, a tribute song to the late Mozambican President Samora Machel.
The song catapulted him and the group RUNN Family to international prominence overnight.
RUNN Family was also commissioned to record a song ‘Ishe Komborerai President Mugabe’ at his inauguration.
Since then, Muparutsa boasts of three decades in the game.
He is still counting.
The story of the ageless producer is a roller-coaster journey which is an inspiration to many.
Post Entertainment recently caught up with Muparutsa for a chat at his Dangamvura home where he now runs a studio.
Born in Chineta, in the sprawling suburb of Sakubva on Friday the 13th in March 1959, Muparutsa did his primary and secondary education in Sakubva.
He started music when he was doing Form Two when he joined The Sound Power alongside iconic producers and musicians like Bothwell Nyamhondera on drums, Jerry Muparutsa on lead guitar, the late Alois Muyaruka on rhythm guitar and the late Paul Phiri on vocals.
“I was playing bass guitar and doing backing vocals too. Then in 1976, Bothwell, Jerry and Alois and I decided to form our own group. That was how RUNN was started.
“We were doing gigs in and around Mutare, mainly doing cover versions of trending music back then. We then suffered a setback when Bothwell’s family moved to Harare and we were left without a drummer.
“We then recruited new members into the group in 1977. A new big line-up now included Jerry Muparutsa on the lead guitar, Newman Chipeni on guitars and keyboards, Mike Muparutsa on keyboards, Pamure Machisa on drums, Alex Muparutsa on the trumpet, and the late Mdhara Dickson Shadenyi on the saxophone. The team came along with a new distinct sound,” said Muparutsa.
He added: “However due to family and other business commitments, some members left the group and we had to recruit again. We brought in Golden Muparutsa, Lawrence Muparutsa, Tendai Muparutsa, Fortune Muparutsa, John Mkwananzi (may their souls rest in peace) and Godfrey Mkwananzi. In 1986, we did the tribute song to Samora Machel, ‘Hatichina Wekutamba Naye’, which was our breakthrough.”
Muparutsa boasts of other hits such as ‘Arumwa Nembwa Haasi Wedu’, ‘Moyo Muti’, ‘Inhapitapi Chete’, ‘Muchongoyo’ and ‘I Never Wanna Be A Sinner’, among others.
“In 1989, I moved to Harare to join Nyamhondera at Gramma Records as a recording engineer. The band suffered a major blow as I was now investing all my energy towards engineering and producing music.
“At Gramma, I worked with virtually every artiste of that era, from 1988 to 2014 when I retired. I bounced back and this time it was now Peter Muparutsa and the RUNN Family now that I was a free agent,” said Muparutsa.
As a producer and engineer, Muparutsa has worked with hordes of local, regional and international artistes such as Harry Belafonte, Manu Debango, Jimmy Cliff, Misty In Roots, Gregory Isaacs, Third World Maxi Priest, Oliver Mtukudzi, Thomas Mapfumo and Leonard Dembo.
He also worked with Talking Drum, Ilanga, Zig-Zag Band, Charles Charamba, System Tazvida, Mechanic Manyeruke, John Chibadura, Pengaudzoke, Judy Moyo, Mazai Mbira Group, Gorowane (Mozambique), Amayenge (Zambia), Lubumbashi Stars (DRC) and his daughter-in-law, Dudu Manhenga.
Muparutsa also performed at many local festivals and shows, as well as regional and international events, including a European Tour in 1995.
ln 1996 he was in Germany, Switzerland and Holland as a bassist and producer for Virginia Mukwesha (Stella Chiweshe’s daughter).
He also took part in the Arts Alive Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa.
He sat on the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association board of directors from 2001 to 2006 and he was a Chibuku Road to Fame adjudicator for three seasons.
Muparutsa also adjudicated on three National Arts Merit Awards editions.
He is currently involved in the Rebuild Sakubva’s music project which is working on setting up of a community recording studio at Sakubva Beit Hall, Mutare.
Muparutsa says out of all the bands and individuals he has worked with, the Marondera-based outfit, Pengaudzoke, was the most unique.
He said their distinct sound cannot be matched, neither can it be copied.
“Pengaudzoke was unique. They had a sungura brand of their own. Ask any sungura artiste out there if their music can be copied and you will get a big no. You just can’t wake up and say I now want to play the Pengaudzoke style,” he said.