Chimombe’s son takes up the Jiti beat

Standard People
BY TINASHE SIBANDA Lincoln Chimombe, son to the late Jiti music superstar, James Chimombe says he will not let his father’s legacy fade but would make sure the nation continued to remember him for his outstanding music.

Lincoln started his music career in November 2010 and released his debut seven-track album titled Kudzanai early this year.

Since then he has been performing together with his Jemedza Crew at various venues in the capital.

“My band is called the Jemedza Crew. I took the name from one of my father’s popular tracks Jemedza, which is the name of a sacred place found at our rural home in Njanja, Chivhu,” said Chimombe.

He said the band consisted of eight members and among them, Tendai Chimombe, his father’s first daughter, who is both drummer and lead guitarist and David Kabachi who worked with the late music legend.

He said tracks to look out for included his favourite, PaBindura, a song about a girlfriend who unceremoniously leaves him and goes to Bindura. Joyce, is a song that rebukes disrespectful wives and Murume Wangu, is a woman’s plea to her husband on serious family matters.

“I am glad that most people have been supporting our music and it seems like this is mostly because of my father’s legacy which I’m trying to uphold,” said Lincoln.

He said he was really grateful to Morgan and Tendai Dembo who were also active musicians taking up from their late superstar father, Leonard Dembo, for giving him an opportunity to perform during a couple of their shows.

Chimombe said this year he was planning to start working with some of the country’s leading artistes like Alick Macheso, Suluman Chimbetu, Tongai Moyo and Oliver Mtukudzi, who was close to his late father.

“On October 23 1990 our lives were greatly changed when my father passed away but I have decided to live to it and make sure that his name is remembered forever,” he said.

He said his biggest wish was to continue with the kind of music his father sang. Although he was facing challenges with finding promoters and instruments, he and his band would march on until grace found them.

“People can expect massive performances from Lincoln and the Jemedza crew because we have a lot in store for the fans,” said Jemedza Crew band manager, Parshal Paradza.