By Moses Mugugunyeki
Rising Afro-pop fusion musician Gary Tight has roped in top music producer and keyboardist Munya Vialy for his debut album titled Nzira Yangu to be released next month, amid revelations that the pair is working on a number of future projects.
The album launch has been slated for March 13 at a venue to be announced in Harare.
Born Gary Mponda and son of Afro-jazz crooner Willom Tight, Gary Tight has not released an album since he was weaned from the late Oliver Mtukudzi’s Pakare Paye Arts Centre. Instead he has released a number of singles and featured on several collaborations, including a duet Ndizarurire with Tuku.
He has also been propped up by his father Willom Tight, jointly releasing good music like Tight Party and Toite Basa, but his biggest undoing was failure to release an album.
Now based in South Africa where he has joined forces with his father and colleague Dino Mudondo, Gary Tight conceded that all had not been rosy for him on the other side of the Limpopo.
“For the past year I had been battling on both sides of life until Munya [Vialy] asked me what was happening,” Gary Tight told Standard Style last week.
“l told him that l wanted someone who could help me record an album and handle my international bookings. And he agreed and saved me.”
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The 26-year-old crooner said the production of the 10-track offering was well on course and the album is themed on peace, love and harmony.
“The message in the album is about love, uniting citizens and, above all, creating harmony among Zimbabweans,” said Gary Tight.
“We are praying for our nation so that the Almighty hears us as we thrive to build our beautiful nation.”
The Pakare Paye Arts Centre protégé said the title track Nzira Yangu relates to his life of ups and downs.
“It’s my life story and it signifies what l saw growing up in Mabvuku up to the time I moved out of the family home. The song denotes the dramas, good and bad, l encountered in life. Everything l saw growing up that’s my path, Nzira Yangu.”
With the production taking place in three countries South Africa (where Gary Tight is based), the United States and Canada (where Vialy is based), Gary Tight described the album as purely about him.
“I wrote all the songs on the album and I have not featured any other musicians, save for instrumentalists that are working with the producer,” he said. Canada-based Munya Vialy confirmed that he was working with Gary Tight.
“He had longed to work with me over the years until he recently approached me over the album,” Vialy said.
“Gary is a good musician, but I was saddened that he had gone quiet and I had to find out. We have agreed to work on this project [new album] and I am now his international manager.”
Vialy said he started organising international tours for the youthful singer.
The former Black Spirits keyboardist said he is financing all Gary Tight’s production.
“It’s a unique production happening in three countries, but I am the main producer here in Canada, blending stuff coming from the United States and South Africa,” Vialy said.
Vialy has produced music for top local artistes including Sulumani Chimbetu, Jah Prayzah, Sam Dondo, Tanga WekwaSando and Andy Muridzo, among others.
