Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter
AS his performances in Harare continue to garner him more plaudits and fans, jazz maestro Jeys Marabini has said that he might follow the example of Lovemore Majaivana and move to the capital, as he believes that the lucrative offers he has been getting in that part of the country triumph the empty promises he has often received in the City of Kings.
Marabini has been in top form over the last few months, with his Meet the People Tour taking him to venues that had not had a taste of his layered jazz offerings in the past when most of his performances were concentrated in Bulawayo.
The tour represents a remarkable turnaround for Marabini, who was bedridden for the last few years as he battled with a debilitating illness. The afro-jazz maestro had been struggling with haemorrhoids for the best part of the last decade, while scans last year also revealed that he had an inflamed spleen.
While Marabini had over the years managed to play through the pain and fulfil his artistic obligations despite deteriorating health, last year he had to put down his guitar as he was no longer able to perform because of the increasing discomfort.
Now having completed a Lazarus-style resurrection over the last few months, Marabini has become a regular feature in Harare over the last few months, with his innovative and mature take on jazz making him a particular favourite.
As he is now inundated with bookings and offers from the capital, Marabini has said he might follow the example of Majaivana, the legendary ace musician from Bulawayo who also moved to Harare in search of more lucrative gigs.
Jeys Marabini
“I have a lot of offers from promoters, businesspeople, advocates because where I perform those are the people that will be in attendance. I was humbled because there was a caucus among these people on how to keep me there but this is something that you never see in Bulawayo. That is how we ended up losing Majaivana.
Our people make a lot of promises but they never follow up on them which is different to the guys in Harare. I am caught in between because I don’t know whether to go or to stay,” he told Sunday Life in an interview.
Marabini said among the offers he had got so far, was a chance to settle down in the posh suburb of Borrowdale with his entire family. This, among other factors, had unsettled some of his most fervent supporters in the City of Kings, who are worried they might lose another star to the bright lights of the capital.
“People are fearful now and I get a lot of messages from those that are saying, please don’t go to Harare. I always asked them what I must do because the people in Harare are coming with a lot of offers that I cannot just say no to. Someone offered me a home in Borrowdale and said they would remove their tenants, buy me a Public Address system and allow me to settle with my children there.
That is a huge offer from a person who feels that I can fill the gap left by the great Oliver Mtukudzi on the alternative music scene. It makes me think and consider because some people are seeing talent and they say they have been longing for this kind of music and they have not been getting it,” he said.
Marabini said the entire frenzy had been kickstarted by his Meet the People Tour, which had shown him a completely different side of Zimbabwe.
“The Meet the People Tour created all this because that’s when a lot of people started gravitating towards seeing me in Harare in the long term.
The owner of Mushandira Pamwe, for example, I had never heard of him, but when he heard that I was coming to Harare, he offered me and my band of 12 people accommodation. We were catered for day and night and he has offered to do the same again when I return to Harare in a few days.
These are the things that have made me reconsider staying in Bulawayo permanently because time is flying. I am 53 years old now I can’t wait forever for Matabeleland to get its act together. I have never had similar offers from businesspeople in our region yet. This is just how our industry works, unfortunately.
We admire what businesspeople in Harare do for their artistes because these are people that bring joy to their lives so there’s nothing wrong with trying to uplift them,” he said.
Despite any misgivings that he might have about the support he enjoys in Bulawayo, Marabini said that for now, he would travel back and forth between the two cities.
“I will be moving back and forth between Harare and Bulawayo but I want to say thank you to the people of Harare for accepting me. Not only have people in Harare supported me but even from the diaspora I have received a lot of support. There are people on social media that have been pushing my music and I am happy because I am not an artiste that buys fans on these platforms.
The people that you see there, the numbers that you see, are people that support my music genuinely. This is what I want and I want to show my gratitude now that I am back, strong and healthy again. We have a bright future to look forward to,” he said.
After recovering from a debilitating illness that left him feeling defeated, Marabini said he felt that he had been given a new lease of life and he intended to make the most of it by giving his best on stage.
“I am grateful to the Lord because it seems like my survival from the serious illness that afflicted me had a purpose.
It is not something that I take lightly and I would really love to thank the Lord for that. I am aware of the fact that I have to work very hard, thank the Lord, and go back to my fans in a very strong manner. They were there for me in my darkest times and it would be amiss for me not to thank them for their unwavering support.
I am happy that people are appreciating me across the country and when names of some of the biggest artistes are called out, mine is in there.
“It is something that I am really grateful for, but this is something that comes after a lot of hard work. I am thankful that people are accepting me and my music but I think this is the right time for this to happen for me.
It is the right time and it is God’s time. I am happy with everything that is happening around me. The vibe is great and everything is on point. Things are falling into place on their own and I am happy with that because I can now look forward to the future,” he said.