Dudu joins The Flame on regional tour

Soulful singer Duduzile Manhenga is part of a collaborative group called The Flame that has been on tour of Southern Africa since last month.

Flame brings together musicians from Southern Africa and is run by Pamberi Trust.

Dudu as she is affectionately known locally, together with Mingas, a popular Mozambican artiste, the South Africans Mpumie Twala and Ndithini Mbali, started touring last month in Maputo before they went to Johannesburg and finally Harare for shows.

An elated Dudu said she learnt a lot from working with other artists from different countries.

"It was actually a privilege to be collaborating with these female artistes who some of them have made names for themselves in their countries. We still a show which will be the last of the Flame tour," she said.

Dudu said the tour was a collaboration of diverse musicians from different backgrounds.

Backed by her band known as Color Blu, Dudu is expected to return down south for a show at the Grahamstown Arts Festival.

Her husband and drummer Blessing Muparutsa, also attended their show held in Maputo.

"My husband was in Mozambique on business and we performed with three other artistes, two from South Africa and one from Mozambique. The good things was that all the groups were fronted by women," the soulful diva said.

Mingas whose real name is Lisa Domingas Jamisse is known as one of the best Mozambican female artistes. Her music is a mixture of Afro sounds, which gives prominence to the rhythms of the Chope people of the southern Mozambique.

"I like the way she plays the saxophone. Not many women can play that instrument because they don’t really show interest in it. I respect her for that" said Dudu.

Dudu and the Color Blu also featured at Johannesburg’s Arts Alive Festival last year, Maputo’s Franco Mozambicana where they performed alongside Italian visitors Ital-Jazz and Mozambican Chico Antonio in Harare.

By Privilege Nkomazana