‌Ndirande as a cradle for musicians

 There has been talk presented in engraved tones about Balaka and Chileka when it comes to music. I know I have celebrated the musicians from the Lhomwe belt because of their immense contribution to Malawi music. 

In fact at one time I even declared that the Lhomwe belt has entertained Malawi more than any other in as far as generating music is concerned and therefore needed a special award.

Then I thought it strange though, that on one hand we had coined the Balaka beat [Paul Banda’s brainchild] and on the other hand touted Chileka for all the music goodies, but we always came short of writing a deserved story for the Lhomwe belt productions.

There was a special kind of innovativeness that was employed in producing music of Michael ‘Mukhitho’ Phiri a.k.a Michael Yekha and Alan Namoko. This is the reason why, to date, if their music is played in entertainment joints, it keeps sending patrons unto cloud nine. 

There are also names like Joseph Nangalembe, Mikoko Brothers Band, Murimwa Brothers Band, Diamond Kudzala, Namakhwa Brothers Band, Fyson Ngwezu & Mulanje Mountain Jazz Band and Chimvu River Jazz Band to mention but a very few, but would send patrons into a trance using locally made instruments.

The Lhomwe belt has also not been left out when it comes to usage of modern day instruments. Joseph Nkasa, Thomas Chibade, Collins Bandawe, Moses Makawa to mention but a few…have soared with such equipment.

For Chileka there is Singano Village, clipped between Michiru Hills in the West and Chileka Airport to the East where the Kachambas started being heard as early as the 1940s. But Daniel Kachamba went on to get a doctorate degree in music from Germany because of the unique way he produced his music.

Daniel Kachamba’s father, his elder sister Anasibeko and his young brother Donald and many of their colleagues were also musicians of note. After them, Singano produced Robert and his younger brother Arnold Fumulani before hell broke loose where we now had/have Evison Matafale, Fumbi Dance Band, Anthony Makondetsa, The Blacks, Kachamba New Breed and Davis Kapito who was part of the Christ in Song Quartet…

While mulling over these three places; Balaka, Chileka and the Lhomwe belt one good afternoon something just hit me when I realised that Ndirande -  the most popular and populous location of Blantyre -  has neither had its share of respect nor has its contributions been noticed enough.

Remember Hotel Chisakalime and its resident Love Aquarius Band in the 1980s? It had its band leader in Stampie Kamwendo – a Ndirande resident.

Then talk of Saleta Phiri, The Jupiters, Kapirintiya of Code and Shadre Sangala, and of course with their elder brother Wallstone Sangala doing his musical indentation in minds of many with his musical jingles.

The modern musicians of Ndirande also make up a very attractive array of Sangie, Nepman, San B, Sally Nyundo, Ndirande Anglican Voices and Ndirande Anglican Melodies to mention but a few.

It is therefore clear that Ndirande cannot only take its rightful place when the narrative is political but it has produced enough artists to also claim a place in the musical hall of fame. It’s indeed ‘Kwathu ku Ndirande’ as Kapirintiya touted the place as the cradle of music and musicians.

Do we have a song for rendition?

I read in the Jamaican The Sunday Gleaner of April 2, 2017 that it has been over 40 years since Peter Tosh released his classic hit song Legalize It from the album of the same name.

This year, to celebrate International Peter Tosh Day on April 20, the Peter Tosh Estate is releasing a 2017 remix of this powerful and prophetic canticle, which was from the first album Tosh released after leaving the Wailers. This is according to The Sunday Gleaner.

The publication further explains that the song was written by Tosh as a response to his ongoing victimisation by the Jamaican police, but it was also a political statement pushing for the legalisation of marijuana.

In Ganja's pre-emancipation era, the oldest Jamaican publication highlights that Legalize It became a unifying anthem that brought like-minded exponents of the herb together from diverse countries and cultures and that in recent years, the perception of marijuana has changed radically, with many jurisdictions now making allowances for research as well as for recreational and medicinal use of the herb.

Two things quickly came to mind; one is that Malawi is exactly doing this by researching on industrial hemp while the other sent me searching for any legendary music icon or an enormously huge musical hit that can deserve such mention or better still that, can enjoy a modern rendition.

When asked to mention Malawi’s legendary musicians, we are fond of lining up names like that of Daniel Kachamba and his Kwela Band, Stonard Lungu, Snowden Ibu, Allan Namoko and the Chimvu River Jazz Band. There are also tracks from Kalimba and Makasu as well as by the Old Police Ochestra, New Scene, led by Morson Phuka, The Roots, Wambali Mkandawire juts to mention but a few that are considered to have rich value for our hall of fame.

If I ask readers which track could be an outstanding one befitting special mention will it be Kalimba’s Sometimes I wonder, or Anachita Chobaya or Uthenga waimfa by Stonard Lungu.

There are also tracks by Jivarcort Kathumba's 'Abale Wanga'; Joseph Nangalembe's ‘Mwananga Che Ben’; Daniel Kachamba's ‘Anthuwa Bodza’; MBC Band's Tikulonjereni; Robert Fumulani's Chemwali; Namoko's Lameck; Lucky Stars’ Chinafuna M'bale; and of course Super Zunde’s Kongolo Wene.

Back to my earlier enquiry, do you think we have a musical artist of a song that require the national attention, recognition and to be held in the highest regard by setting aside, say a Joseph Nangalembe Day for example?

I know that Martse has done a rendition of Billy Kaunda’s ‘Mwapindulanji’ and in the recent past San B and Nepman have done a copy from fallen Reggae King Evison Matafale’s Kuimba 1 album called ‘Chauta Wamphamvu’.

While for Martse it is said he got Kaunda’s blessings, for Matafale’s song there was a dispute on the question of copyright issues as some family members felt short changed and demanded answers.

Well this is perhaps a kind of scenario that one might advance as a mitigating factor why there is no such recognition of the same. However, the question still remains if any past songs and musicians produced a kind of musical art that turned the nation on its head due to its influential effect requiring it to be honoured today.

Do we need to move or establish a body that should look at such songs or as the saying goes, good wine needs no bush?