Alick Macheso was born in 1968 in Shamva, 90 kilometres to the north of Harare to parents of Malawian origin, a fact that inspired him to learn to speak and sing in five languages - Shona, Chichewa, Sena, Venda and Lingala. He is working on perfecting his Ndebele. Growing up on a farm in pre-Chimurenga Zimbabwe meant that few opportunities were available to the emerging musician. In 1983, at the age of 15, he left the farm compounds of Shamva to head for the dizzy lights of Harare, arriving in the capital at the invitation of a relative who had been inspired by Macheso's guitar-playing prowess at the farm compound.

Alick started off as a guitarist playing for Vhuka Boys, shortly after, Macheso was to switch camps moving-in with Nicholas Zacharia and joining the band  that Zacharia fronted, The Khiama Boys, where he was singing & dancing as well as playing bass guitar : "He really acted like an uncle to me and took me into his home. They provided me with everything up to the time I married my wife," recalls Macheso. The two went on a music-inspired journey, joining several bands, mostly sungura-playing outfits.

In 1997 Macheso broke ranks with Zacharia to form his own 'Orchestra Mberikwazvo' in 1998, the outfit that backs him to date. "I remember we used to be regulars at Murambinda in Buhera and there was this braai-man who used to do it differently from others. And I would comment 'mberi kwazvo zvaunoita' (which loosely translates to; 'Keep going on and surpass your own standards') and the saying stuck. When the managers at Gramma (his recording studio) asked me to name my band, I simply replied "Orchestra Mberikwazvo."

The album 'Simbaradzo' was to be the turning point is his career with the songs Mundikumbuke & Mai Rubhi remain anthems to this date and brought Macheso into the limelight. Suddenly everyone took notice. He was the Zimbabwean phenomenon that the music industry had been waiting for. Macheso followed the success of 'Simbaradzo' with 'Zvakanaka Zvakadaro', the album which confirmed that Zimbabwe had given birth to a new sensation.

Zvakanaka Zvakadaro was followed, in 2003, by Zvido Zvenyu Kunyanya, confirmation that Macheso had not only arrived on the Zimbabwean music scene, but was determined to stay there for as long as possible. It is only a question of time before Macheso becomes the first Zimbabwean musician to sell a million copies of his music.

In recent years Alick Macheso has attracted even greater national popularity appearing on advertising hoardings across Zimbabwe as 'The Face of Zorai Butter' and through his works as ambassador for the Red Cross.

Aleck Macheso and his band are constantly in demand to perform at events across the nations of Southern Africa with frequent visits to Europe.  Please contact us as soon as possible if you would like to condsider booking Alick Macheso & Orchestra Mberikwazvo.