DAR ES SALAAM, May 8 -- IT was in early 1980s when Freddie Ndala Kasheba rose from obscurity to command the Tanzanian music scene with his scary 12-stringed guitar and to some extent it brought shiver to his adversaries.

Guided by its shimmering” tone, the 12-stringed guitar which Kasheba himself nicknamed Kombora la Nyuzi dazeni (dozen stringed bomb), was a big threat to then established guitarists, including Maquz du Zaire master guitarist, Nguza Viking Mbangu, who was his arch-rival.

Juwata Jazz (Msondo) reacted fast against the threat imposed by Kashebas 12-stringed terror whose eponymous hit Vituko vya Ashura dominated radio airplay in the early 1980s. Said Mabela of Juwata (Msondo Ngoma today) was handed the 12- stringed gui...