In April, 1988, I was the manager of a band called The Frontline Kids comprising Filbert Marova, Noel Zembe, Emmanuel Thomas, Wellington Masvosva, Primrose Sithole and Jevas Dzotizei. We had all heard from Noel Zembe of a drummer called Sam Mataure who was based in Mutare. We needed a drummer in our band for a tour to the United Kingdom as we felt that Wellington Masvosva, the drummer in the band, who was only fourteen years old and was still going to school at the time could give us problems on this tour. On my next trip to Mutare I went to New Dangare, where Sam Mataure lived to invite him on this trip to the UK and I found out that he was already in Harare, but could not locate him. However, Wellington cried and insisted that he wanted to be part of this tour. We settled to go with him instead. That was our near brush with Sam Mataure in 1988.
Sam Tendai Mataure who was born and bred in Mutare is a well known drummer and music promoter. He is known for being part of the famous Oliver Mtukudzi’s Black Spirits musical band and he later became Oliver Mtukudzi’s manager after Debbie Metcalfe.
He started his music career in 1985 after finishing his Ordinary Level at Mutare Boys’ High School. From a young age, he has had an interest in playing the drums. He learnt to play drums under the mentorship of the late great Jethro Shasha in Mutare.
In his early years, he worked for a number of groups. While in Mutare, he performed with Ekhaya and The Band Shato.
He claims his breakthrough came in 1994 while in Harare where he worked with the likes of Chiwoniso Maraire, Mbuya Beaulah Dyoko, Sekuru Gora, Andy Brown, and Clive Malunga as a session musician.
In 1997, Mataure was part of the popular musical group The Storm which was led by the late Andy Brown. In this group, Mataure rubbed shoulders with some of Zimbabwe’s great musicians and proved to all of them that he was a versatile and intelligent drummer.
Mataure, after being identified as a talented drummer, later joined Oliver Tuku Mtukudzi’s Black Spirits band in 2007. He initially worked as a drummer. In December 2009, Mataure landed the post of temporary manager for the Black Spirits band after the band’s reshuffle when Debbie Metcalfe, the then manager was removed. He was subsequently promoted to the position of manager of the band in 2010.
During his period as manager, he organised a number of events for Oliver Mtukudzi and the Black Spirits. With Tuku, Mataure travelled around the world doing his thing on the drums and managing the superstar. One of the major successes of Mataure as a manager was in the organisation of the Mtukudzi Tribute concert in September 2013. Furthermore, Mataure was also the man behind the successful hosting of Oliver Mtukudzi’s 60th birthday which was hosted at Glamis Arena in Harare. The event hosted international artistes such as Zahara from South Africa sharing the stage with Oliver Mtukudzi. The event attracted well over 10 000 fans who thronged the venue to celebrate Oliver Mtukudzi’s 60th birthday.
The Greatest Hits concert held in April 2014 at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC). was also organised under the leadership of Sam Mataure as manager.
It was after Mtukudzi’s 60th birthday that Sam had to step aside as manager as he was not well.
The acclaimed Zimbabwean drummer went through a difficult phase in life after suffering a stroke in 2019.
But the music did not really stop for the well-travelled star, best known in music circles for his long-time role as manager and drummer for the legendary Oliver Mtukudzi.
He left for South Africa where he had successful stints with the likes of Zimbabweans Louis Mhlanga and Jimi Indi in Music ye Africa. He also performed with Judith Sephuma, Steve Dyer, Thandiswa Mazwai and the late Dorothy Masuka, among others.
It was also during this period that Sam decided to fly to Oregon in the United States of America to offer his services as Thomas Mukanya Mapfumo’s manager. This role was short-lived as Mataure fell sick when he collapsed at Mukanya’s house. He was rushed to a top-notch hospital where two blood clots were removed from his head during surgery. He recovered and was flown back to Zimbabwe.
One of the most devastating events in Sam’s life was the passing on of Oliver Mtukudzi on January 23, 2019, but he still continued as events promoter.
Many people speculated that after Tuku, Sam’s career was finished, but little did they know that he had kept a few tricks up his sleeve.
He says he started the Moving Jazz Café where Soul, Jazz and the old classics will be featured at different venues throughout Zimbabwe. “I started this project ten years ago, but my schedule with Tuku kept me busy that I couldn’t do anything else on the side. Now with more time on my hands, I am trying to revive it”, said Sam.
Sam says that he will start off the event in Mutare by paying tribute to Manicaland artistes such as Bothwell Nyamhondera, Newman Chipeni, Jethro Shasha, Greenford Jangano, the Runn Family and Chiwoniso Maraire.
Unfortunately when in 2019 he suffered a stroke and was paralysed on one side of his body, he could only play drums with one stick using his right hand and still did a good job as evidenced by his input on Louis Mhlanga’s latest album entitled Living For A Living where he played drums on four songs. For veteran drummer, who is now showing signs of recovery, said his lifestyle has changed drastically since he stroked four years ago.
He played at a show with Victor Kunonga recently and nobody noticed that he was paralysed in one hand. His rhythm was tight just like the Sam we knew during his Tuku days.
“I have been playing drums for Victor Kunonga because I do not want to let my illness get me down,” he explained.
“It has been mostly one hand because my left hand was badly affected by the stroke so I have improvised using only one hand to play the drum set. The sound comes out perfectly well. I don’t miss a single beat.”
The 59-year-old drum maestro does not need much introduction, having worked with big names in music.
Mtukudzi, Chiwoniso Maraire, Andy Brown, Jazz Invitation, Beaulah Dyoko, Victor Kunonga, Thomas Mapfumo, Oliver Mtukudzi, Steve Dyer, Auntie Dot: it is an illustrious cast of some of the finest music talents in Zimbabwe and in the region.
This coming Friday, the 17th May, 2024, marks the first anniversary of Kelly Rusike’s death. Sam has organised a tribute concert which is strictly by invitation only. at Alliance Francaise, 328 Herbert Chitepo Avenue from 6pm till 9 pm to commemorate Kelly’s life. The Rusike Brothers, Filbert Marova and Friends and Jazz Invitation will be part of the whole entourage.
If Wicknell Chivayo’s generous gifts of cars are still available, it is people like Sam Mataure who should be put at the forefront of these donations and presumably one year’s supply of petrol as his contributions in music circles are well-known.
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