The Shed Sessions: 1982-1986
comprise the two albums that Zimbabwe's
Bhundu Boys
recorded at Harare's
Shed Studios
between 1982 and 1986. It's where
Biggie Tembo
and the rest of the band developed their
jit
-
jive
style and created a classic sound with intricately interlocking guitar parts. Comprised of two LPs,
Shabini
and
Tsvimbodzemoto
, this is really the legendary sound of the band, spawning four number one singles at home and establishing their reputation overseas. This CD not only collects the songs from those albums, but adds more, for a total of 28 cuts, all powered by some storming guitar work. But while they show their fire on tracks like
"Pachedu,"
they also take on the feel of more
traditional mbira
music on the moody
"Manhenga."
It's ironic that they should hit their creative high point so early in their career, never recapturing the spirit that made this music so remarkable and glittering. From here they'd move to England, but in the '90s everything would fall apart, as members died of AIDS and
hanged himself after being asked to leave the band. A tragic end that wasn't foreseen in some of the best guitar music to emerge from Africa. ~ Chris Nickson