Atoht inspires Patience Namadingo & Faith Mussa

Like I said before right here Ellias Missi known in showbiz cycles as Atoht Manje is a self-made artiste who started his career by toying around with dancehall before discovering what more agree is closer to a Malawian beat.

He craftily used his crackly voice for dancehall in tracks like Majelasi and Lululu until he did Tizipepese, mistakenly called by his fans as Mabvuto.

My description of this beat then will not change now as I still think it’s a fast paced beat or merely hurried up beat sounding like a fast paced traditional Manganje beat. What is strikingly noticeable is that he is self-taught in the aspect of producing tunes that have come to be liked by music lovers.

It is ChePatuma built in the Sikiri tempo that captivated many including fellow artist Patience Namadingo.

Immediately after seeing how this track performed on the music scene Namadingo came up with his and called it Goliyati which took after Atoht's ChePatuma style.

Recently Faith Mussa has also released Selofoni which others still believe it is pointing at Atoht Manje's influence.

While for Namandingo it is unmistakable that it’s a copied style, honestly for Faith I cannot say with certainty that it indeed is. There are several differing elements that has made me doubt if indeed there was an inspiration from Atoht.

What I like about this whole scenario though is the fact that at least for once the inspiration is coming from within. We have complained before that there is just too much copying from international musicians.

I have always wondered if we have a Malawian genre.

I was once tempted to believe that the 2012 hit by Fikisa called ‘Ademwiche’ which is commonly but wrongly (or rightly?) known to the public as ‘Akamwile’ was going towards charting the way for Malawi.

It has however proven that our quest for a fixed and well established Malawian genre, has been tedious at times and it will not end any time soon.

The other day Lucius Banda told us that we were there with his ‘Zulu Woman’ beat while Edgar and Davis thought a beat like ‘Kale-Kale’ was it; so were the sounds that emerged from the Lhomwe belt of the likes of Alan Namoko and Chimvu River Jazz Band and Michael Mukhito Phiri.

But it is the people that thought this was it, because as you can see, even Namoko had no idea what he was churning out, and this is the reason he thought his backing band was a Jazz set piece.

Robert Fumulani, likewise, had no distinct genre for Malawi and in one of his tracks he did what he thought was a fusion of reggae and Khunju traditional dance and called it Khunju Reggae.

Peter Mawanga and a certain sector of the industry believe he has cracked the elusive code to establish the much sort after Malawian genre with his type of music; but the response has only fascinated the ear of those that can read music.

Ever heard of Honjo? It is a sound that emerged from the folds of Ndirande and this was Sunny B proclaiming the discovery of Malawian beat with what he was panning out.

Up in the north, Body Mind and Soul has what it calls ‘Voodjaz’.
Body, Mind & Soul started like a reggae band, but band leader ‘Street Rat’ claim that after reflecting on the importance of sharing Malawi ancient culture in modern time and after much thought and experimentation they created a new music concept they call ‘Voodjaz’, a subtle mix of traditional rhythms with a jazzy feel.

Now when all is weighed and measured may be the attraction of Atoht beat by the other artists will mean something, of course not the Malawi genre yet but something considering the elements that Faith has put is his Selofoni track.

Frank Kaunda imitating Skeffa Chimoto

Mangochi based musician Frank Kaunda has a deep obsession with Skeffa Chimoto. He mimics him a lot in his compositions especially in his track 'Sipuni'.

I am not sure if both of them are aware of my observations but like I have said here before I will say it again: Budding artists should only use the talent of the established for learning purposes and not take it as their own.

There are times when budding musicians copy from established ones in order to get a career foothold as they ascent towards glory. But there is always need to cut out one's own identity when unveiling self.

There is a reggae musician called Siddy Ranks. The first time I listened to his music I realised his futile attempt to be the great Gregory Isaacs' copycat. For me this was a complete put-off!

The one person that I have also discussed on these pages is Evance Meleka. When Evance collaborated with controversial gospel artist George Mkandawire to release tracks ‘Mwalawo’ and ‘Manga Patanthwe’ he realized how sweet it sounds to do tracks that are gospel.

A short while since this attempt, he declared himself a ‘Gospel Artist’ and I have no reservations with his decision because the effort he showed in the tracks, cuts him above the average acts that are polluting the gospel music arena.

My problem with Evance came when he decided to become an Oliver Mtukudzi copycat which instead turned him into an impressionist shame.

Evance is blessed. His voice is unexploited gold which only he can take care of and nurture as time goes by.

Meleka ‘debuted’ his gospel music career with tracks where he imitated Oliver Mtukudzi unashamedly.

I am glad he stopped and got back his senses and ever since he has done a few tracks like 'Yanokola' and 'Baraba' which has made him gain back his respect.

On the question of good voice, I would not hesitate to say the same for Frank who calls himself Ankhoswe. Besides his very good voice, his compositions are lyrically compelling.

Of course a track like 'Masewera chabe' is more of a story telling marathon that sometimes becomes something else. The likes of long-drawn-out compositions of Thoko Katimba which would make you stick around a radio set long enough until it finishes as it is like listening to a short story.

I digressed, but my point is that there is need for our budding musicians to create their own identities. There are many artists who have tried to imitate Skeffa Chimoto, Lucius Banda, Billy Kaunda etcetera but they did not achieve music greatness.

The reason we are today talking about Frank Kaunda is because despite imitating Skeffa Chimoto he has shown us all that he is naturally talented and he has a very bright (in Malawian context of course) future.

Frank ought to realise that Skeffa Chimoto started with imitating and doing covers for Mlaka Maliro but he only used him as a learning passage.

Today, we cannot say that Skeffa imitates Mlaka because that is not what it is as he has now created his own identity which has attracted both local and international admirers including the current Zambian President Edgar Lungu.

There is need to have a cut-off point when an artists who is new in the game is using the works of the established ones.

I will end this entry in the exact way that I ended the one I did for Evance Meleka.

Musicians in this country should not only help each other financially, they also need to guide one another on career direction, surely those that have veered off the road need someone to help them get him back on the track if they have to achieve anything…

This is my message to Frank!

Another Dosage of Kenyatta Hill

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.

Sad Lucius Banda

When we talk of Malawi music, the name Lucius Banda is mentioned with veneration. He has done it all. He has had the best hits. He has had one of the longest surviving musical bands, Zembani. He has also shown us the other side of his music promoting prowess when he has managed to bring into the current some big international musical names.

It was therefore sad when I saw a newspaper article last week which quoted Lucius Banda saying he would want to go back to his old basics of international ways by reverting to the kind of album like his debut 'Son of a Poor Man' which was all done in English except for the track 'Mabala'.

What is even more disturbing is that Lucius says this at the occasion of announcing plans to release an album to mark 25 years of his glowing musical career.

With this longevity you would expect him to look at these things with a sharp musical eye.

Before you look at me as someone who is only trying to have a dig at the iconic 'political' musician I will take you back to artists like Zimbabwean Jah Prayza for example or Congolese Kanda Bongoman, Mafikizolo of South Africa or Nigerian Davido etc. When you listen to music that has sold these names to the world, you will appreciate that it was not about English, nor was it about reggae.

For an artist worth his salt, Lucius Banda should know that music alone is a language. It is a universal language that permeates through any other communication barriers.

In the interview Lucius says that he has always tried to survive the industry by changing some basics. He was saying all this because he has recently released a single called 'I do' produced by DJ Sley. He says he wanted the modern urban beat, in other words, he was testing the waters.

I find all this talk full of some hogwash considering that this track can fall within the genre makeup of his other track found in the album called 15-15 released on October 29, 2012 called 'start again please'.

Before we can talk of his English claims, let's look at the performance of the 'Son of a Poor Man' on the international market. Did it break any glass ceiling on the world market? Is it Lucius' biggest album of all his albums in terms of international appeal? I don’t believe if you are to be honest, you would answer these questions in affirmative.

Now, going down the road, you will discover that Lucius Banda has done English tracks in his albums. Have these songs, I mean done in English, carried the day on the international music scene?

All I am saying is that it is not the language or the reggae genre that can make one local artist command some international attraction and charm its way into the Japanese, Nigerian, American or the English music consumer market.

Take Oliver Mtukudzi for example, he has laid claim to the piece of cake even when most of his tracks that got the world's attention were done in Shona language and Zimbabwean Mbira genre.

As Lucius has rightly realised that why he has survived all the years is by changing the basics, he has to realise that if after 25 years he has not hit the international jackpot, then the solution is indeed changing the basics.

He is however re-looking at wrong basics; it is not the language or genre because if he will waste time on these he would be treating a wrong malaise.

He needs to have a Lucius Banda identity. He cannot compete with Jamaican reggae artists who are already doing great in this area. They are also doing it in English by the way.

You cannot ignore Lucius Banda. Whether you love or hate him you will still pay attention when he makes any slight move.

That's why I am comforted in the fact that he has once proclaimed that his trademark would now be songs like the ‘Zulu Woman’ found in his ‘Freedom’ album.

But as has been the case following this declaration – the tracks come in different shapes and shades.

     

Nkasa’s musical confusion

Joseph Nkasa, the touted wordsmith is a unique musician on the local scene for more than one reason.

Like a bee to a flower, politicians have always been attracted to him. But politicians being what they are only use him for a particular purpose and once that has been achieved they tend to leave him waiting for unfulfilled promise. 

They behave like bees indeed, once they get the nectar from an attractive flower, and then it’s a done deal.

Former President Bakili Muluzi got attracted with his fame and as he had successfully done with Lucius Banda, he wanted to rope in Joseph Nkasa to be in his hero worshiping team. He started by promising to buy Nkasa a vehicle.

Of course, the car never came and Nkasa composed the track ‘Anamva’ where he reminded the president about his promise.

Exit Muluzi enters Bingu wa Mutharika. The late Mutharika, according to Nkasa, promised to buy him a house due to ‘Mose wa Lero’ a track that indisputably helped Mutharika’s 2009 Presidential campaign.

Now if you look at all these happenings, one thing that is clear is that it was secular music that he used to touch base with personalities that were perched right there at the pinnacle of the country’s political authority. 

Now when Nkasa came on the musical scene he truly came as a gospel artist. I should start by saying that ever since he started in 1996 his career to date has been decorated with 18 albums.

If you look at his first 4 albums you will appreciate his initial gospel bearing. He started with ‘Satana Waponya’, ‘Messiah Alikubwera’, ‘Ndigwireni Dzanja Yehova’ and ‘Kutha Kwafika’.

Now FOUR gospel albums, one semi-gospel of course, never did any good to Nkasa’s name. And what does he do? He decided to jump ship and turn secular with the album ‘Kupupuluma’.

Now after soaring so high with secular music and even after making himself a name he thinks he can go back and start all over again in the gospel music arena.

It is the word of God that Nkasa now tries to use in order to get money from politicians.

Joseph Nkasa composed a song for former minister of agriculture, irrigation and water development George Chaponda to douse fires that threatened to burn his political career to the ground.

To keep you in the loop, Nkasa’s song intended to spruce up the image of Chaponda who had been embroidered in maize transactions that had bedevilled by claims of corruption.

In the song Nkasa equates Chaponda to Joseph, one of the 12 sons of the Biblical Isaac who became a defacto ruler in Egypt after being sold there by his brothers due to his closeness to their father.

He further claims that Chaponda is paying for his mercifulness to help the hunger-stricken and that people are trying to make him lose ‘his ministry’.

Nkasa declares in the song that the stones that have been thrown at Chaponda with will accumulate to his advantage as he will use it to build a house which will make him the landlord.

In all this the meaning is that Chaponda will use the ridicule currently peddled about his involvement in the maize saga to become the leader of this country.

It looks Nkasa is always on the lookout for any political developments to jump on the perceived opportunity and compose a song. His latest toils is a track called Absalom in which he is attacking Vice President Saulos Chilima for trying to usurp the position of President Peter Mutharika and contest for presidency using a Democratic Progressive Party ticket.

When he did Mose wa Lero for Bingu he claimed never to have received ‘enough’ money with the hit single. But this remains disputable because he has now gone to bed with different politicians for the sake of money.

Nkasa composed a song for the then parliamentary Speaker Chimunthu Banda when he stood for DPP Presidency, but it emerged that it was not successful at all as Chimunthu tumbled miserably.

After the Chimunthu debacle he went into an agreement with PPM’s Mark Katsonga who allegedly paid K7 million for political songs, jingles and live performances all to discredit Joyce Banda government and prop up the name of PPM’s torch bearer.

While the effectiveness of this project had not even materialised, Nkasa joined the PP ranks and did a track for Joyce Banda whom he had discredited in the other tracks.

The JB track which was first heard on her Ufulu Radio and state owned MBC presents a litany of development achievements of the President and why she would be voted to retain power.

While I can neither accuse Nkasa for his lack of ethical sense nor the politicians for taking any routes to seek vain glory, one thing that is clearly standing out is that Joseph Nkasa does not believe in what he sings.

Unwarranted attacks on Kuimba 11

There seems to be people in this country who just love to hate. And if there is one grouping that has grown thick skin because of endless attacks on their works then it is the reggae outfit from Chileka, the Black Missionaries.

The past few weeks we have seen people from all callings including some from the media and even from the music industry picking on the four tracks that the Black Missionaries, fondly called Mablacks, has released in readiness of their ultimate issuing of Kuimba 11 album.

The tracks released on Friday April 20, 2018 include Zofuna Mtima Wanga, Umboni, Special Lover and Mbusa and like is the case every time they are about to release an album the noise is always deafening.

Several reasons could explain the source of such noise. One is because people in this country are always envious of those that they think are doing well. Be it in politics, business, religion, soccer and even witchcraft those that excel will be called names.

Come to think of it, before everyone has been trying to compare the current Black Missionaries of Anjiru, Chizondi and Peter to the one led by Evison, and Musamude. The comparison has always favoured the fallen band members.

And yet what is funny is that even when Evison Matafale and Musamude Fumulani were there, the three were around as well. In fact most of the tracks that we think were the best then, were composed by the very same people we now vilify.

If you ask me, even when Evison or Musamude were to be around, the same people who claim that the current Mablacks is failing, would still have faulted them.

You know why I know so? It is happening to Lucius Banda who has been there long before the Black Missionaries. Every other time Lucius releases an album people condemn it saying Son of the Poor Man was the best.

Our challenge as a people is always to think that what we are familiar with from our past is the best. You can just hear old ones boasting that they had the best childhood unlike the current youth who are corrupted by the video games and smart phones.

What is funny though is that how could they compare themselves to the current youth when all their playtime was dominated by imitating a hyena or creating cray car toys?

The same is happening to music. These old-cray-toy-car-making-youths cannot like the same kind of music that the present smartphone youth root for.

People ought to live with the fact that times are changing and therefore even music won’t remain static; it will keep being transform to suit the modern ear.

I am saying all this if the argument is that Mablacks are no longer sounding like before. I however strongly believe that this would be a lie because Mablacks have not changed their mission. Their music would still make Matafale and Musamude proud, knowing that they are indeed perpetuating the mission.

Hello! Please give it to the Blacks. We are talking of eleventh album. May be you are not aware, Matafale only managed Kuimba 2 with the Black Missionaries having done Kuimba 1 with the Wailing Brothers. Mablacks have then gone ahead to release nine more albums on their own.

When Musamude was passing on, he had just finished recording Kuimba 6 with his younger brothers and they are now doing a fifth album after his demise.

How many bands have died for various reasons? The question should be what has made the Black Missionaries tick and continue releasing one album after the other not to mention their hard work on the road when others have fallen by the wayside?

There are many factors before one has to consider before attacking the band.

They have selflessly tried their best to serve this country musically.

It’s also our choice as consumers to go for those that we think are doing the best music that pleases us. The least we can do if we do not like the Black Missionaries is to keep quiet and let them be.

Crimes of Lucius Banda

The 19th Album of Lucius Banda is reminiscent of an artist who genuinely stood for the people and ended up branding himself the soldier of the poor until Bakili Muluzi happened.

Rightly called ‘Crimes’ this is where he is taking Government to task exactly the same way he used to do with the Government of the first multiparty President Bakili Muluzi. While everyone was clapping hands for Lucius for speaking on their behalf, like a bolt from the blues, he made a U-turn and befriended Muluzi after a special invitation to the kingly walls.

From there onwards, the masses never recognized their soldier anymore. He was reduced to a hand clapper for Muluzi and even went ahead to compose a track Yellow which helped to usher in Muluzi’s successor Bingu wa Mutharika.

As Mutharika dumped Muluzi so Lucius showed his loyalty by standing beside him, something that led to his imprisonment.

As things are at the moment, while his political party, the United Democratic Front decided to become the ruling Democratic Progressive Party bed fellow, Lucius never joined the band wagon and has realized the true colour of politicians, although he is a politician himself.

At the risk of causing debate I would argue that Crimes is an album packed with Lucius Banda’s undertones and frustrations over what has not become of his political career.

And listening to Crimes, it is a typical Lucius Banda album which has a predictable structure. The title tracks for his albums are always a Jamaican modelled dub-reggae poetry beat which he transforms into spoken word production over a Nyambinghi rhythm.

Kulila kwa amphawi just like Chako is a political outcry indeed speaking for the people as was the case then. And there is also Zithumwa which he presents in form of a letter to his uncle which is a sequel to the last two letters the other one collaborated with Thomas Chibade.

Then there are always wedding songs these days. People hire him to produce songs for their weddings and these ones lately find their way into his albums. In this particular project there are two; Andimvetsa Sugar and Tiye.

Whereas in the last albums which he produced when Muluzi was his hero the tracks carried messages of hero worship, now in Crimes, just like the Lucius of the old, there are tracks with implicit messages like Chida cha mtendere.

He however clearly direct his attacks on the leadership in the track Chako where he equates the current national scenario to a Biblical story of King Solomon.

This is when two women were fighting over a living child after one had lost hers and wanted King Solomon to decide the real mother. As the story goes the king proposed to cut the baby in halves where the real mother protested while the one who apparently had lost her child wanted the baby to indeed be cut into two.

In reflection Lucius thinks the leadership is not patriotic enough because they do not belong to Malawi and are behaving like that bad woman. They are on the course to destroy the country because they are set to leave to their respective countries once everything has been damaged since some have green cards.

Remember his promise to be producing tracks like Zulu woman I think in Kuyenda ngati nkhunda, which is a traditional Champweteka chimanga beat which is produced by an expert of such beat Sonyezo, Lucius has ably just killed it.

Like has been the norm Limbikila mwanawe is a piece of advice to his child and this and the rest of the tracks in Crimes have been complement by two Gospel tracks Nkokoma  and Siliva ndi golide to complete a model of Lucius Banda’s album.

The only difference in this album’s structure is the track Touch Me which is a sexual track that would require parental guidance if played within the earshot of those below 18.

At the end of the day, it’s not up to me to judge Crimes as holding a genuine sway over the followers of Lucius as was the case before. I am talking about this in terms of Lucius’ sincerity. But if you ask me I would only say: Once bitten, twice shy!

Lucius Banda’s Free Shows loathing

On 14 October, 2017 Lucius Banda decided to use his Facebook wall to detest what he called a common practice in Malawi where people seek free entry into musical shows.

He went on to deduce that this is not due to poverty because people who do this come by car which has obviously been fuelled and upon getting into the show they buy a lot of beer.

What he abhors is that it is clear to such a person that only paying to the artist to gain entrance is what they hate. Sometimes where positions are reversed where the patrons might have a grocery shop, they cannot give free loaf of bread to that artist whatever the case and it would even sound funny if they were to ask for free bread.

He goes on to pour his heart out by wondering why people feel comfortable to enter shows for free despite knowing the artists have loads of overheads to take care of. He then marvels at Malawians’ lack of spirit to support arts.

In his wisdom Lucius believes if all the fans were paying at the door during such shows then Malawi will have her own export quality musicians like is the case in other countries around Malawi.

He goes on to cite Nigerians, Tanzanians and Zimbabweans where he says musicians grow because people are ready to support.

Lucius made this Facebook post barely hours after rapper Fredokiss had held a free show at Masintha which made the venue bulge at the seams.

Rightly so, his post attracted a comment from Mchiteni Nthala II who urges Lucius to organise a free shows sometimes; his argument is that music is not meant to be sold always as there are a lot of people out there who are his loyal fans but cannot afford the gate entrance fee.

Repay them by holding a free show by borrowing a leaf from Fredokiss, who according to him does not have money but has managed to hold a free show in Ndirande as well as at Masintha, he argues.

He then further says Lucius can also do the same by holding free shows in Mhuju - Rumphi, Kabudula- Lilongwe, and Mayaka - Zomba.

Lucius however is still adamant by inviting the contributor to his constituency in Balaka to see for himself what happens on his ‘gate’ [the entrance to his residence, I presume] where what he will see will make him cry for him. Lucius argues that he doesn't give back to people using shows.

 There were several subsequent comments

One Charles Percy Gama says it's indeed a matter of concern that after investing a lot in advertising, getting supporting artists, venue hiring and organizing a show, somebody comes with all family members and friends to enter for free. When the artists get poorer and stop performing and switch to vegetable farming or bicycle tax business the same people will snide at them for lack of vision. He says it's high time we supported our artists.

Another comment from my namesake Gregory Chisomo Likalamu argues that Lucius needs to ask Gwamba or Fredokiss to establish who pays for the venue because at the end of the day music is not only for money, but for fun too.

He further states that since Lucius is a politician it’s not surprising that he is egotistical and therefore will only hold free show that will be to his own benefit or when someone pays for it. He argues that Fredokiss is paid with love and not with money.

As a journalist, one would expect me to enjoy free entry which I don’t. I have never been to a show for free even when I will write an article for such artists. However Lucius response is mixed up. He serves two constituencies; a political and a musical constituency and whatever corporate social responsibility activities he does as an MP cannot tick on his check list as an artist.

Several reasons have been offered on his post. But I still believe whether Malawians love free shows or not, he owes it to them and one day it cannot hurt to pay them back as an artist and not a politician of Balaka North.

Sam Simakweli’s attempt at resurrecting Chaphuka

Paul Chaphuka remains an enigma because he came at a time when there was the rebirth of Malawi music. His one and only album ‘Ndichiritseni’ released at the time he had just died on May 11, 1997 was only made possible by legendary brothers Paul and Lucius Banda. What would have become, had he not succumbed to skin cancer is a subject of conjecture.

But his album is marked in the all highly treasured archives as one of Malawi’s classic music production, albeit going with the equally pioneering all famous Balaka genre.

Chaphuka’s career started – or it is better known to have started – when he played with Mte Wambali Mkandawire and as an instrumentalist he used to play the bass guitar a departure well registered when he joined Alleluya Band where he was now playing lead guitar.

The album had many captivating tracks like Nkhoswe, title track Ndichiritseni – which of course is a Chichewa rendition of Alpha Blondy’s song ‘Heal Me’ found in the album Dieu. Just like Alpha Blondy who suffered a mental breakdown that prompted the release of the track in 1994, Chaphuka too, having realised of his ill health sought God’s healing power. As they say the rest is history; while Blondy survived, for Chaphuka, it was never to be.

Lucius and Paul had to finish the album and together included a tribute Tsalani in the album. This is all to give you a picture of the priceless sentimental value that this album has.

Now why I am all rumbling about Chaphuka today is because Sam Simakweli has taken a ‘leap of faith’ and done a rendition of one of Chaphuka’s great hits in the album called Mavuto Tawaona.

It is this one that has brought us to talk about Chaphuka in light of this production from Simakweli who currently brands as Sam Smack.

When you understand the pain and richness of this song just like the rest of the tracks in the album, you realise that it would require a special reason to do a rendition.

The place to look for such a special reason is obviously in the released newest production and my effort to look for one in Simakweli’s Mavuto Tawaona did not help matters as it left me with mixed feelings.

To begin with, this is a classic that, much as effort would be made to modernise it, there is still need to preserve its touch. This without doubt should have been achieved with Simakweli’s golden voice. But for whatever reason he decided to sound like a Nyanja speaking Zambian.

Smacks is one of the six-pointed stars in the local urban genre and if any attempt was made to do a Chaphuka rendition everyone would give it to him if he so decided to bring in the urban elements. Now he does so by bringing in a guy I am hearing for the first time called Michale Es.

My problem is not because I have never heard of this guy before. But here is my explanation:  

There is a ring to all the classic tracks that are redone by modern artists. They tend to resurrect the old, by making it to the top of numerous charts. The reason Simakweli’s effort on this Chaphuka track has not made necessary noise is because it has not brought any fresh impetus to the resounding following that the initial track attracted.

Most of the old folks who fell in love with Chaphuka’s original toils feel short-changed especially with the rapping which, as most of our rappers do, did not bother to make sense and bring clarity to own lyrics thereby degrading itself to the levels of noise.

In short, with the bar that was set by Chaphuka, any attempt to redo his work should be well thought of and should not come in half measures. Unfortunately this one has.