Ah, memories of the first time hearing early cuts from Staff Benda Bilili or Malawi Mouse Boys –eyes closed, the inner smile, that warmth of discovery….It all comes back with the chiming guitar of Gonora Sounds’ new release ‘Mukoma Shadrek’. Brought to you direct from the dusty avenues of Harare by New York label The Vital Record, it’s a furiously upbeat, hot stepping Sungura song that bustles with sidewalk energy.
Gonora Sounds revolves around the musical bond between singer/guitarist Daniel Gonora and his drumming son Isaac, welded during their makeshift-amp/ scrapyard-kit busking days. That deep connection and the astounding sounds they conjure from their jerry-rigged gear give ‘Mukoma Shadrek’ its jaw-dropping edge and distinctive quality.
But there is another dimension to Daniel Gonora’s extraordinary story that adds resonance to the release of this single and forthcoming album ‘Hard Times Never Kill’ (due February 2022). Twenty years ago the blind musician was a leader in the successful Jairos Jiri Band, a group that tragically imploded as successive members passed away. Forced to take his music onto the streets to make ends meet, with the precociously talented Isaac in tow, Daniel’s dream of making more records never wavered. He returned briefly in 2017 with the limited release of ‘Shoko Harivikwe’ and now his time has come to reach out further.
As well as being produced by Sungura sound legend Bothwell Nyamhondera and featuring an expanded band of Zimbabwe’s top players plus Isaac on a studio set up, ‘Hard Times Never Kill’ promises music resounding in joy and hope, born from real experience. Global beat enthusiasts save this page…
You can pre-order the album ‘Hard Times Never Kill‘ at:
https://www.thevitalrecord.com/merch/p/gonora-sounds
Find out more about Gonora Sounds at:
