Faray the Great is a Zimbabwean World Music & Jazz fusion Singer, Songwriter, and Guitarist.
Background
Faray developed a keen interest in music in his teens. Without any formal music background, he pursued the passion he had for the guitar. Faray taught himself the guitar and soon played in churches. With the emergence of YouTube, he learnt and mastered modern skills and techniques of music that he would need in his music journey.
Music Career
Faray blends different sounds and rhythms from various ethnic groups around the world to create his distinct sound. He uses various instruments such as the ‘Mbira’ of Zimbabwe, the Djembe drum, and acoustic and electric guitars. Faray composes & arranges his songs. He plays the acoustic & electric guitar. He recorded his debut album titled Foundations (Moto werudo) in 2014. A live recorded project in his hometown of Gweru, Zimbabwe. A fusion of traditional local rhythms with Western musical elements. Moto werudo, which is a love song in the Shona language, instantly became a hit song across Zimbabwe. Other songs on the album touch upon various social matters in modern-day society. The Foundations album formed a solid base for his career as a Young Jazz artist who has a broad world perspective. It paved the way for his career. He has managed to brand himself as a reputable, sought-after music and entertainment brand. He is not limited to genre but believes in experimenting and fusing different sounds to create new and exciting experiences for his audiences.
Impact and reception
Faray is currently performing live concerts across Africa. He performs with his live band set comprising a drummer, bassist, keyboardist, two female backup vocalists, and himself on lead vocals and guitars. He does acoustic sets incorporating African drums and percussion instruments. He has played with his band in Johannesburg at venues including. Pata Pata restaurant, Neighbour Goods Market in Braamfontein, S. A. Indies Music and Hard Rock Café (Sandton), just to mention a few. He has played at big cooperate functions including SABC and KFC events. Recently been engaged in doing music for a cause, one of the latest events was Lawyers Against Abuse (LVA) in Johannesburg.
Future plans and remarks
Faray has exciting plans on the horizon. He aims to take his music to new heights through live performances, interviews, and a world tour. He is also planning on playing at different festivals around the world. Faray believes that music is more than just organized noise, but it is an experience, and he aims to deliver that unique music experience to his audience each time he plays. Faray believes that music is a global language that can bring people of different nationalities together. To Faray the Great, music can be a great instrument to preach peace, love, and unity to the world, and to bring about positive change in our world.
