Artists hail Book Cafe reopening

DAILY  NEWS

By Margaret Chinowaita, Deputy Entertainment Editor

Sunday, 11 March 2012 11:25

HARARE - Artists from all walks of life on Thursday hailed the new venue of Book Café which opened its doors after a two months’ absence while some bemoaned lack of parking space. The new Book Café is now along Samora Machel Avenue in Harare opposite Nandos. The new venue is central and a walking distance from city centre. The place formerly a restaurant is spacious and has a big stage. It also has a reasonably big garden where artists can perform and patrons may relax. Renowned mbira artiste, Hope Masike said she felt excited. “This is an exciting evening. We are able to meet again after a long time. It is an amazing and better place, bigger stage and a roomy area. This time also gave Book Café management an opportunity to re-brand, to fix whatever wanted to be fixed and come up with a more exciting package.”  Masike said the change was good and she was looking forward to the year ahead. “This place also allows us to mingle and maintain our professional networks. I was a resident on Tuesday nights at the former Book Café and I would love to reconnect with my fans.” The lanky musician with an amazing smile said she would be performing at the much-anticipated Harare International Festival of Arts and would go on a tour of Europe and the United States of America from June to December. Masike said she want to perform at Book Café before her international engagements. Music diva Prudence Katomeni- Mbofana said she is a product of Book Café where her music prowess was nurtured, seasoned and perfected. She was a permanent feature every week at Book Café while performing with Jazz Invitation a decade ago. Looking stunning in black strapless dress and impressive blue high heels, Katomeni said, “This new place is spacious and with good lighting it can provide a perfect show. It also has a changing room. I have a passion in film and I understand that they want to change one of the rooms into a screening room.” Katomeni said the Book Café offers a perfect environment for artists and those interested in art. Young musician Mannex had a permanent feature at Book Café for three years. He said, “I like this new set up because it is bigger. I performed at the former venue for three years with different bands. I liked the crowds that came to our shows and I had a source of decent income as an artiste.” Seasoned reggae guitarist Samaita Zindi of Transit Crew played at the former venue for close to four years. “This place has more space than either of the venues. There would be more demand for the venue since those that performed at Mannenberg and Book Café will have to share. We would be happy to be included in the new programme.” Zindi said Transit Crew is currently performing at Megga 3 Westgate. “We also played at Kebab for some time but we stopped during the rainy season because it was an outside venue.” An ardent music follower, Advocate Adam Kara said: “I love jazz and a wide array of music and I was a frequent patron of the former Book Café. I took a bet with Paul Brickhill that he would not have this venue ready for the official opening but I was amazed when I came here, in short — I lost the bet.” However, a former regular at Book Café, said the new place is bigger but lacks the privacy unlike the former venue at Fife Avenue shops. “I liked the privacy of former Mannenberg, I felt it was a bit private tucked upstairs at the shops. Parking was good despite sometimes problems with shoppers if there were bigger events. The acoustics are so poor I hope they will work on that, since it seems renovations are still in progress.” Last year in December, Brickhill dropped a bombshell that Book Café and Mannenberg were to close in the new year. “After 7500 concerts and functions, 650 public discussions, over 70 book launches, 35 theatre productions, staging of 150 international touring acts and countless new local acts and collaborations that emerged within, Harare’s iconic music and performing arts centre, Book Cafe and Mannenberg, will close its doors to the public in Fife Avenue Shopping Mall.” About 600 000 have entered the twin venues since opening, as Book Cafe in 1997 with Luck Street Blues, and Mannenberg in 2000 with historic performances by Africa’s great jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim. The two venues gave rise to the urban mbira phenomena, a Friday night institution in Harare’s nightlife, pioneered stand-up comedy, championed freedom of expression, laid the foundation for slam poetry, and created major youth and female arts development programmes. The venues were closely associated with many great jazz and blues acts in the early years, and latterly with the reggae renaissance sweeping Zimbabwe. Thursday night gave hope of the return of the best consistent venues for various artists. Prime Minister Tsvangirai gave a moving speech on the sorry state of the creative industry and how it can be improved. Tsvangirai launched his book At the Deep End at Book Café last year.