Ngorimba, by Cde Chinx

A 1988 album by the Zimbabwean resistance fighter turned musician.

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Dumelang.

I wasn't familiar with the music of Cde Chinx when I started this site. But one of his songs caught my ear and I featured it in one of the first posts here.

Global Press Music claims to "curate an electrifying collection of African music, from Afrobeat to Highlife, celebrating the diverse melodies that define the continent's soul." One of their releases is Chinx's Ngorimba, from 1988. If online translators are to be trusted, Ngorimba is a Shona word that means "it's a song."

Instrumentally, it's a sparse album, but that's a quality that works well for it. According to the credits, it was just Chinx and two musicians playing congas and mbira, a type of thumb piano that's common in Zimbabwean music.

Here's a snip from the official blurb:

"Ngorimba," released in 1988 by Cde Chinx, is a seminal album in Zimbabwean music history. Cde Chinx, also known as Dickson Chingaira Makoni, was a renowned Zimbabwean musician and revolutionary figure. This album captures his powerful voice and impassioned lyrics, which often spoke to themes of liberation, social justice, and African pride.

With its fusion of traditional Zimbabwean rhythms, reggae influences, and politically charged lyrics, "Ngorimba" became a rallying cry for the Zimbabwean liberation struggle. Cde Chinx's music inspired and mobilized people during a crucial period in the country's history.