Kenyatta Hill and Culture were in Malawi in June last
year where they performed in Blantyre and Lilongwe. I attended the Blantyre
show at Mibawa.
Given an opportunity I can get to their show again and again.
In fact everything being equal, I won't miss their Sand Festival show for
anything.
And as an icing of the cake this time round Andrew
Tosh is going to be part of the festival this year and for a reggae fanatic
this is more than one can ask for.
However, my excitement cannot fail me to look and
question the pattern when it comes to inviting the international acts. Of
course I know of same music stars that perform in Amsterdam year in, year out
as an annual fixture.
However for Malawi at least we have had Fanton Mojah,
Luciano, and twice Morgan Heritage brought by Born African Productions. While
Sand Festival has brought Busy Signal twice and of course through Impakt Events, Lucius Banda's
company that organises the festival, also brought into the country Kenyatta and
Culture.
Now the
announcement that has come to light is that Kenyatta Hill and Culture alongside
Andrew Tosh will headline the musical face of the festival this year.
What I
could not fail to notice is that Impakt Events is fond of inviting artist
severally. I don’t know the business of bringing these guys into the country
and
I will therefore base my opinions from the heart.
Which is
that we have numerous artists of reggae out there who can as well be invited
into the country so that we have an opportunity to appreciate them the way we
did last time Kenyatta and Culture came.
If we
will go to Kenyatta's performance again, it will be for the fact that he is a
great entertainer, there are others though who will not be very excited because
they already watched his performance last year.
It surely
would be double exciting to have new big names. Of course there is Andrew Tosh.
The similarity between Andrew and Kenyatta is that they are both sons of the
greatest reggae icons, Peter Tosh and Joseph Hill respectively.
Having
died in 1987, Peter Tosh does not resonate so well with today's youthful
audience whose attraction is a different genre altogether. Joseph Hill died in
2006 and because he was one artist no world music lover would ignore, he
managed to interest the modern youth even though they are into some other funny
genres.
Now with
this when Kenyatta who is now 39, stepped in it was all easy for him unlike
Andrew who has rode more on the songs left behind by his fallen legendary
father. Of course Kenyatta too has fully adopted the sharp social commentary and
catchy rhythms characteristic of his father's music.
While
Kenyatta's debut single, “Daddy,” backed by a masterful roster of musicians
including Sly Dunbar and Dean Fraser spelt the way for him and helped him to
make own name, for 51-year-old Andrew who first release a single in 1985 two
years before the demise of his father, not much has happened.
The
other good thing with Andrew is that he has had it all, having been exposed to
the music of his father's group The Wailers from an early age. Andrew also
performed two songs at his funeral, "Jah Guide" and "Equal
Rights". Imagine! He is also nephew to living reggae legend Bunny Wailer.
His
work with producer Winston Holness on his debut album, Original Man was followed in 1989 by a second album, Make Place For The Youth, which was
recorded in the United States and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best
Reggae Album.
Andrew
Tosh also toured with The Wailers Band in 1991. But if you ask many, not one
will know Andrew Tosh's own tracks. This is unlike the Marley children who have
managed to popularise their songs.
Well,
while I am looking forward to their performance I just could not help it, but
point out a few things.
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