What OG Issa did to Malawi Music?

OG Issa is the name that is synonymous with music in Malawi. Either our musicians became so rich or so poor because of this name.

At the time that music produced and marketed in Malawi started coming out, is also the same time that this name made headlines all over.

If it was not in the newspapers then it was on radio stations, if not newspapers, in minibuses, churches and even in songs that musicians used to sing.

Both good and bad stories came through with OG Issa running as the sole music distributor.

Some musicians said OG Issa was an exploitative element in the Malawi music industry albeit with no grounds to substantiate such claims. Others said OG Issa needs to get a sky-scraping recognition for making Malawi music what it has become.

Around 1993-94 when they started operating to now 2012 when they have closed their biggest outlet in Limbe we are roughly talking of about 17 to 18 years in assisting musicians in the country on one hand and boosting his business on the other.

Over the years I have discussed about ‘Greedy and Exploitation in the Music Industry’ on these pages as well as how ‘Distributors Steal from Musicians’.

My argument then as is the case now is that Music is supposed to be the most sellable commodity in Malawi but in the case of the local industry those that are reaping the fruits are not musicians themselves.

Before distributors and marketers were the only beneficiaries in the industry, enjoying the fruits which they played little or no part at all to produce.

They took advantage of the talented and poverty stricken musicians who would bring hot music but had no idea how they could profit out of it and instead what musicians have profited out of such venture is a mere fleeting fame.

Based on my assessment, the 95 percent lion’s share the distributor used to get out of an artist’s music and since there were devoid of bargaining power, they just accepted to be milked without protest.

Now if you look at this kind of share and how much music marketing dealers used to flock to OG Issa you can tell how much money one can make in a period of 18 years.

Unlike government, investors have a time frame within which they are going to operate by investing, market the investment, make profits and head elsewhere, perforated and hissing out smell of money.

If government which has tried to surrender some such businesses by way of privatisation can put in place regulatory means, there is no way someone would just come from the blues, use a bait and throw in a line and once he catches the kind of fish desired, they leave and go.

OG Issa used to be a major music distributor in the country especially at its Limbe shop, which used to carter for the rural areas where local dealers would come and buy music in large numbers.

The reasons that owner Salim Sattar gave in necessitating closure still does not make sense. This is perhaps the case because out of music, Sattar has created many business ventures and because he now cared less about the fate of industry, what he had reaped had satisfied him and what happened to the musician out there never bore any interest in his world of profit making.

This is why along the way it became to be known as ‘OG Issa Group of Companies' and the music section was now referred to as ‘Afri Music Distributors’.

Music gurus are saying distributors are now failing to make obscene profits they have enjoyed over the years because artists have resorted to selling their own music as they are desperately trying to deal with issues piracy which has robbed of their would have been wealth.

O.G Issa has had a share of controversies, remember when Lawrence Mbenjere stopped selling his music through Afri Music after being tipped that the company was allegedly swindling local artists' money through the selling of more tape covers than those initially agreed upon.

This was also the case with late Evison Matafale who was so angry that he broke the counter at the Limbe Shop.

The company acknowledged of bad blood with Mbenjere and at the height of their bitter working relationship it returned to Mbenjere stock of tape covers for his 11 albums amounting to 25 485 copies, a figure that translated to a sum of K637 125.

This only changed when the two signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOC) to resume distributing and selling of his music.

Afri Music's manager Staneck Kulemero told the media at the time that everything would be conducted in a very transparent manner where every detail of their deals will be perfectly documented using a high-tech computer system that will be tallying the tape covers artists bring to the distributor against those that are sold before they can order more from him.

But before this came into effect OG Issa closed. What happened?

Enigmatic Paul Banda

Paul Banda – eer, Sir Paul Banda still strums his guitar and sings with the same high fetched resonance and aptness as he has done since the 1980s when his musical career kicked off.

From the onset I need to disabuse you that I am not the perfect connoisseur when it comes to picking apart his work of art; which is, however, not the same thing as not being able to appreciate consistency that this larger than life music performer has demonstrated over the years.

I have seen Paul Banda perform with Alleluya and Anthu Ambiri Band both of Balaka, and Mingoli Band. While one or two challenges would crop up with the aiding band players, his act has always been marked with some precision and perfection that comes with long years of disciplined practice and dedication.

I have seen some artists, who because of one reason or another – ranging from politics to search for greener pastures outside the borders – stayed out of music and consequently also ended up staying out of touch on their return.

For a long spell, Paul Banda was in hibernation and everyone including yours truly thought we have heard last of his musical exploits.

He has over the period that he has returned, proven us all wrong with performances that stills rings loudly, reminding us why he is a music pioneer that started performing when it was politically impossible to express oneself musically.

While it is clear for most ‘music returnees’ that they are struggling with vocal delivery and stage presence, he has taken it up with aplomb, dispatching one hit after the other that leaves the patronage with little choice but to sing along.

What is more striking is the humility that one can clearly see in his approach to doing everything musical. Lately he has been performing in places that one like Paul Banda would be too proud to go to.

He has a younger brother Lucius who has made it big in the entertainment cycles that by just coughing everything would start falling in places for him to take advantage of and take the easy route.

Paul Banda has gone beyond himself and respected the artist in him to perform for everyone and everybody without restricting them with higher gate fees or pride.

One has in the recent past seen posters announcing his performances not only with young artists but also venues that you would not expect him to grace.

In such cases one may be forgiven to conclude that delivery to such places will befit its status but not with Paul Banda who always gives out a full package performance conveyed with devoutness of an artist who respects his audience, his achievements notwithstanding.

Besides the many artists that have learnt from Paul including his younger brother, what he is currently doing at the moment is another lesson whose students should be these younger artists that have tested fame and are being carried away.

It is a lesson that teaches that the constituency that a musician represents is unlike that which politicians embodies for it is the most truthful one that really rewards you commensurate with not only their artistic delivery but also how they carry themselves.

Like I repeatedly say, the body of work that has signatures of Paul Banda all over it should have been enough to serve him financially until the end of this passage. But he is still working hard and not getting the financial prize that he deserves.

While I am still in full praise of Paul, I want to end up this entry today with the question that I ask all the time. What is wrong with the Malawi music industry? 

Elsewhere one just releases a single that does well on the market and will flourish in wealth while the most of the celebrated Malawian artist with plenty shining productions will still flounder in penury.         

 

  

A Song for the eight

My friend Nyamalikiti Nthiwatiwa announced of his intentions to write a poem just a few minutes after the heart wrenching death of eight – including seven beautiful and innocent souls – that were stampeded to death when all they wanted was to watch Big Bullets play against Silver Strikers as part of independence celebrations on July 6 in Lilongwe.

For the first time since the proliferation of social media I wished that what was spread about the Bingu Stadium stampede was all but fake news.

Imagine the morning that these children woke up mingling with their parents and siblings and perhaps asking for a penny that they would use to buy fizzy drinks while waiting for the match to start at the stadium.

Imagine the flow of love that permeates around homes when morning breaks and everyone is ready to start off for the day. I know the feeling because God has blessed me with a career wife, a ten-year-old son Vinandi as well as a ten-month-old daughter Vichi who become part of such morning experience.

I want you to put yourself in the shoes of parents that have lost these children. In the morning of July 6, 2017 they parted ways with their boys promising to meet again later in the day.

Just few hours before the morning wears thin you hear that your son has died from such uncharacteristic death – not that death has a tolerable character – and that now you have to bury his little beautiful body in the soil. It is heart breaking.

I am not here to pass verdict on anyone but I am here to declare that no amount of consolation can take away this pain. I feel it so deep and so soul cutting that it leaves a soreness that is lacklustre. It is such an emotive happenstance that every time I think about it I always picture that which should not have been.

With such events I know musicians rush to compose music for one reason or the other. This entry is to put out a word of caution to those that would try to get all their creative juices running and come up with songs for the victims or the accident.

When you consider the vitriol and outpour of sympathy that has characterised the aftermath you are in some instances left in disbelief that people can be so callous in trying to show cleverness over such a tragedy of excruciating magnitude.

It is therefore for this reason that those of our musicians that will come up with consoling songs to celebrate the young lives of the deceased babies should only do so with humane and pure artistic tact.

It will be so sad and a reminder of this pain if our artists will bring out heartless lyrics to talk about the innocent souls in a manner that will forever disrespect their souls.

Bad productions will also be a minus to the cause and it will really be unpalatable to just do it for the sake of it.

I have seen musicians in the country composing songs for the fallen politicians or men and women of influence some of which have left a lot to be desired.

This particular twist of fate is unique in its own way because – I hate to say it was avoidable – of the events that led to its occurrence and what followed afterwards.

If at all there will be a song for the eight, it should be a perfect eulogy that can be able to live side by side with the pain that will forever remain. At least therefore it should have to be something that will also forever assuage this pain.  

  

‘Fuko Lokondedwa’ is Makondetsa’s Protest

On the account of the contagious awe that his six previous albums have drawn out of many people, Anthony ‘Mr. Cool’ Makondetsa decided to carve another piece of facet that has become the most shining of his multi-faceted career when he released of ‘Fuko Lokondedwa’ - his seventh album.

Since his first album in 2000, ‘Tisatengeke’ the journey has been that of hope. And 2016 we are told an Eighth album is in the making. But let’s talk about ‘Fuko Lokondedwa’.

Toils without Dividends

Makondetsa himself reminiscences that he always cherished the dream that, “with music I will get wealthier than doing anything else.”

Buoyed by this belief and the fact that he comes from a musical family, the following year in 2001, he released ‘Kambelembele’ in the hope that to have two albums in the bag would translate into a six-figured financial statement.

Perhaps he was doing things in a hurry and had a break of two years before unleashing a third and fourth album within two years. In 2003 he christened ‘Maonekedwe’ as the third album followed two years later by another one; ‘Mfakafaka’.

It is now apparent that every two years, Makondetsa releases an album if the release in 2007 of ‘Ndilibe Mlandu’ tagged along by ‘Mbumba ya Abraham’ in 2009 is rendering enough clues to reinforce this observation.

But well, it is flatly challenged by the release of ‘Fuko Lokondedwa’ which came after four years.

The answer is in what Makondetsa says is his new posture of protest.

“At the rate we are going, I realised that in my country Malawi you can entertain the people through music for the rest of your life but still die a pauper,” observes Makondetsa.

He says for years, and after invading the hall of fame with seven albums which means an average of 84 tracks, there is nothing to show and yet through music in other countries, just one track has catapulted musicians to stardom.

“While the marketing system is a big letdown, then there is piracy to contend with. Piracy is lethal poison that is eventually going to kill the music industry,” says Makondetsa who rubs it in the face of most Malawians who help piracy by buying pirated music.

Religious Protest

Makondetsa says from the preceding Mbumba ya Abraham album before the latest Fuko Lokondedwa; he made a decision that he will sing religious songs which will take him closer to his God in protest against lack of progress despite fame and more musical products.

“I realised that the schedule of this career takes me on the road half of the time and in a way was pushing me away from my God,” he explicates, “I discovered that I needed to create a situation where, if I don’t get anything from music then I should always talk with my God through music for my own spiritual benefit and satisfaction.”

“Now even when they will pirate my music and leave me a destitute, with God you don’t lose anything,” he philosophises.

Now, besides the protest for lack of assets accumulation out of music and that Makondetsa, a father of 13-year-old Yankho who though in Standard 5 is already a keyboard expert, says he is spending more time reading the Bible where he is getting inspiration to come up with latest compositions.

And indeed this reggae album has given people another reason why they should keep on mistaken ‘Mr. Cool’ as the de facto leader of the Chileka outfit – The Black Missionaries.

Mythical themes

But perhaps without trying to be judgemental, it is only fair to state that his latest ‘drudgery’ only manages to confuse his followers more as it still adds to the myth that are in the themes of his message.

It reminds all, of living and fallen stars that once shone and still shines, and provide unfading light to the Singano Village in Chileka.

One that quickly comes to mind is the star in fallen Gift Fumulani. He is Makondetsa’s cousin, whose last ten-track album ‘Mphamvu yake Mulungu’ still controls its place in the hall of fame as one such musical artefact that is more revealing. Long he had also decided to get his inspiration from the Bible.

Nonetheless like Makondetsa’s ‘Fuko Lokondedwa’ it is a very personal statement of one man whose mind was still searching for a right spiritual sanctuary.

While Fumulani’s last ‘toils’ was an interface of intercession, mingled in a psycho-religious dilemma, spiritual declaration, interlocked with an expression of love devotion, in Makondetsa’s latest ‘efforts’ there is one religious man whose every track is incomplete without mentioning the name of God the father and the Son – Jesus.

Look at the opening track of the 11 tracks in the album, ‘Ali Pompano’ which impresses on the message that Jesus gave to his disciples that the one that will betray the Son of Man was amongst them. You are left wondering to whom the message is being directed to.

The lyrics:-

“Eeeh! Ali pompano – Yemwe azakupachike”(Yes he is here – the one who will crucify you)

Indee! Ali pompano – Omwe azakupele.”(Yes they are here - those who will betray you)

It shows that Mr. Cool loves to be allegorical in the lyrical aspect of his tracks.

Remember ‘Ndilibe Mlandu’? It does not specifically state its theme on one attempt of trying to understand its lyrical content.

“It’s just a gift from God that I can present my musical message in such a parable like way,” acknowledges Mr. Cool.

Gospel, Spiritual or religious

The second track, ‘Podzatitenga’ is something artists like Lloyd Phiri will turn green with envy with as it is a typical of what they call gospel tracks, still bringing confusion to the question, Who is a gospel artist?

‘Muyuda’ which is one of the album’s biggest hits has the same ring to it but I don’t agree to describe it as a gospel track, it’s rather a religious track.

“You can’t identify what I sing as what has become accepted in Malawi as Gospel music. It’s not spiritual music,” says Makondetsa before agreeing, “But yes it is religious music.”

Uyu ndi muyuda; Ochokela/wobadwira ku Yudea

Abale ake nga Chiyuda; Ndiye Mfumu ya ayuda

The rhyming chorus above has become explosive, and like is the case with the past works; these tracks tend to become street anthems.

‘Fire Time’ one of two English tracks is also talking about the son of man who is about to finish the revelation with fire, while the other English track ‘Black Woman’ is where he is expressing love of his black beautiful woman whom he cannot stay without.

This track and ‘Sadziwa’ as well as ‘Sudzampeza’ are the only three tracks that have no where mentioning Jesus and God, perhaps because they are love tracks.

Mr. Cool of the tribe of Benjamin

The title track ‘Fuko Lokondedwa’ is Makondetsa’s favourite: “In this track I am talking to my God and I feel good about the sensation it emits when I am singing it.”

There is a track dedicated to his grandfather Enoch Robert Fumulani called ‘Wagwa Mtengo’. He passed on to our ancestors four years ago.

He says as someone whose mother was last born as was the case with Biblical Benjamin – by the way, Robert Fumulani Jnr. father to his Black Missionaries cousins was 5^th born while Arnold, father to late Gift and Moda was 8^th while his mother was 9^th – he made the track his personal docket.

“In this track I talk about myself and family in earnest. I talk about me and my upbringing in the household of my grandparents,” says the diminutive father of three, whose other two children are Anthony Junior and little daughter Salome.

In the book of Genesis 49 Jacob blessed all his 12 children and when it was the turn of Benjamin whom Makondetsa identifies with, he said “Benjamin is the ravenous wolf, devouring his enemies in the morning and dividing his plunder in the evening.”  

Does this signpost that it is time for pirates to take cover?

The 11 track reggae album, [of course ten tracks, if one considers the dub version inclusion of Fire Time], is a typical of Makondetsa album, except that the Biblical influence seems to be doing wonders; besides its protest approach, it is quite engaging and one can only respond to Mr. Cool’s pleas and buy a copy.

“Piracy, especially in Lilongwe where it is being done on a large scale, is compromising our status and considering the poor music industry, I don’t know what Malawians are expecting us to become,” bemoans Makondetsa.

Chris Kele conquers South African

When Chris Kele says ‘it is a disdainful attempt’ to even compare the aspect of art and trade in Malawi music to that of South Africa, you might think he is only trying to cheapen the local industry because he has hit gold in the rainbow nation.

But when you hear him tell you how the South African government is unlike their Malawi counterpart when it comes to supporting music then you would understand why after 3 years of sojourning South Africa he can claim victorious.

Unlike Malawi where only sports can be the only engagement government can support, in South Africa, government’s tune is cheery to the ear of musical artists.

“If the [Malawi] government would fully support music the way it does with soccer, Malawian music industry would turn down side up for sure,” says Kele.

Kele the Producer

And why can’t you believe him. 

As a guitarist with authority, studio artist with clout, a composer with finesse and professional producer with proficiency of the trade, Kele has made it big in a music industry where talent beckons you to more prosperity but only when you stand out to be counted.    

“One good thing about South Africa is that music is highly appreciated and well understood,” he intones. “And if you are good and strong minded musically, it gets easy.”

Kele believes that the South African music industry is in high-speed in every sense including technological and organisational characteristic because musicians are treated very seriously while government support is without stint or limit.

Composing for Ringo

When Kele travelled to the rainbow nation, he worked with different artists in studios besides performing with several musicians and other artists.

At the moment he says he has composed a song for Ringo which they are to record soon.

If you must know, Ringo is a South African celebrated jazz guitarist, full name Ringo Madlingozi, who has released a string of highly successful albums that have garnered several awards, including Best Male Vocalist at the South African Music Awards as well as Best Male Artist (Southern Africa) and Best Male Vocalist (African Continent) at the Kora awards.

His journey started in 1986 when his band Peto won the Shell Road to Fame contest and ever since he has built a prosperous career, collaborating with celebrated artists and groups including UB40, Dillon O’Bryan and HHP.

Many local artists know that Kele is no stranger to the local industry either, having cut his first tooth as a producer with the all great MC Studios, at the Lilongwe base.

And having learnt the ropes, Kele who has ever played alongside Erick Paliani, who is also riding high in South Africa, as well as multi-award winning Ben Michael Mankhamba in the Acacias Band, established his recording studio which he called 'Metro Jive Studio'.

His Malawi studio exploits was like undergoing rite of passage because once he hit South Africa he established himself by working with different artists  as well as musicians in studios.

Already, he has produced artists like Born African, especially his latest album ‘The Past, Present and Future’.

“I'm currently producing a UK based South African Reggae dude by the name of King Pablo,” says Kele who has once again established a recording studio called Mavume Productions which deal with music production.

Kele the Band Man

Like he did with the studio, Kele also formed his own band in 2006 in Lilongwe which he called 'The Jazz Image Band' and had a three year contract agreement with Chameleon Cafe in Lilongwe.

“The Jazz Image Band was formed when I was in Malawi and the remaining guys are still playing Sunday Jazz at Chameleon cafe along State house road C-Centre,” he says.

Right there in South Africa, Kele has also formed a multinational band he is calling ‘Mavume Gurus Live' a similar name of his studio which in Venda language of South Africa he says means big noise from a huge crowd .

The band which has a South African bassist, a Ghanaian drummer, and a Zimbabwean keyboardist has Kele on the guitars, and already it has written itself a curriculum vitae of note considering the places and artists it has played with.

“With Mavume Gurus Live, we have performed in places around RSA, and I personally have performed in different stages in South Africa,” says Kele.

At Ditsong Museum he has played side by side with Jamaican reggae great Ibo Cooper. At State Theatre he has performed alongside Louis Mhlanga. At Shikisha Club he has executed musical shows alongside Sister Phumi. At Orange Farm Music Festival, Kele has shared stage with Zahara, Black coffee, Big Nuzz, Gangalee Adeluler, Bass line, and Pata Pata. He has also performed at The House of Tandoor, Afrocentric cafe, as well as in Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland just to mention a few.

For one to be such a conqueror in South Africa, Kele says it is not just a matter of playing chords, but one has to know music communication within your group; one need to understand what the other fellow is playing and how to accompany him/her.

“If your goodness makes you visible, it is easy for other artists to notice you and that’s a starting point because here in South Africa one can be very talented but if he is not connected its difficult sometimes,” he says.

The industry is very advanced and depending on the genre that you play, once you advertise, he says you are likely going to have patronage of a kind of an audience that understands what you play.

“If you advertise for a Jazz show you should expect people who understand Jazz to be there,” he says.

Recording Companies

This third born in a family of seven also says record companies in South Africa are real deal, unlike in Malawi where most exist in newspapers.

He says in South Africa, record companies have simplified what would have otherwise been a complex scenario for musicians.

“Record companies really help you. Once you are signed in, then you have made it, it’s up to you to deliver. Once a record company signs in turn show them songs which are making showbiz sense,” says Kele.

He says the day Malawi will have record companies, will be the baptism of fire for the local music industry from where, it will never be the same again.

Who is Chris Kele

Kele who declines to disclose his age is a widower, having lost his beloved wife Bertha.

He discovered his music interest at the age of nine while in Blantyre Mandala.

“Then when my parents moved to Lilongwe area 15, I met some friends like Erik Paliani, my own brother Mada and other guys. We started a musical group although we were primary school kids,” he recalls.

Kele says he did his primary school at Dharap in Blantyre and Chigoneka in Area 47 in Lilongwe before pursuing his secondary school studies at Zomba Catholic Sec School and Bvumbwe Private Sec School.

“I'm currently studying Music Management and theory in RSA while pursuing my music career too,” he says.

The ‘Ulendo’ Album

Kele who is now a single father to Nick and Samantha says he started the album project with his late wife Bertha five years ago.

“I wasn't sure of the type of Jazz I could do until I realised that I had great familiarity with Jazz which I then fused with other African rhythms,” he says.

“Bertha (late wife) helped me a lot on this album and she brought the choruses of several songs like 'Ulendo', “says Kele who says he can’t believe his wife whom he buried in Mulanje is gone.

Because the fusions of Jazz and African melodies / rhythms in his music he has coined a name for this particular genre and he is calling it 'AFRICULTURE JAZZ".

“I did it in seven languages as follows: Sena,Tumbuka, Shona, Nyanja, English, Yao and Zulu just to at least let everyone get something out of my music. I'm Sena though,” he says.

Kele says the album has been recorded at Mavume Productions, Nubian Studios and Zoi Recording Studio (RSA).

He says the album has different African flavours because he has worked with Ric Deja, the American saxophonist, Joy Sevens the South African Keyboard player and King David the Nigerian saxophonist.

Some of the musicians Kele has featured on the album include South Africa's jazz artists Nqobile Douglas and Samsam Manjeya.

Late Mayeso Chirwa also features in one of the tracks in the album called 'Dimingu' a re-edition originally done by Joseph Tembo.

"I had to use Mayeso because he was very familiar with the song,” explained Kele.

Laughing at Msati Mseke

Patience Namadingo has once again proven that he is the master of creativity with his latest ‘Msati Mseke’. 

The video and audio of the track is top notch especially in the way he fused the Gulewamkulu, Beni and Malipenga dances.

Most of the musicians and poets that we have in this country will try to rhyme just to fulfill the assonance requirement but when you hear Namadingo give you words that end the same like matope, nkhope, atope, alape, afupe, pampope in the verse he is depicting the Nyau dancers, you realise he took his time.

And to prove that the first same sounding verse is not a fluke he does the same in the other two subsequent verses like one where Beni dancers exhibit the dance’s trademark steps by stitching words like asilikali, phuli-phuli, cham’mbali, liri-liri, mliri, ambiri.

When Namadingo first appeared on the music scene, the gospel music scene to be specific, he was just like any other gospel artist save for his unique voice. 

But in his latest offering, it appears that Namadingo has dug deep into his creative bank to dish out something different. The gospel in his music is nicely woven in stark creativeness and entertainment.

Of course the track says we should not laugh at the performers but the shooting of the video is exactly eliciting this aspect of making one laugh at the production.

Why should one pretend to dance with the Nyau dancers while strumming the guitar. If indeed he wanted to be part of the act he should have done better.

The quality picture, production in general and even the dancing by the performers of the three traditional dancers that are captured in the video clearly shows that this is something that was planned well ahead of the production.

But when you start seeing something like this then you start thinking about the way we plan for our video productions. It goes down to concept development and how involved the producers of the same, are attuned to the production work in hand.

Sometimes a whole beautiful work that has been done 95 percent with perfection can lose its standing because of a small mistake that has been created because of poor production planning.

Otherwise, much as everyone else is talking about the Msati Mseke video because of its uniqueness in innovation and class that aspect has robbed its credit.

Not that what I am demanding is to have it redone but just to point what I think should be done.     

Grace Chinga: A gain among angels

If you follow this column you will realise that it carved a special place of veneration for the fallen gospel music songstress Grace Chinga.

Unlike all and sundry who love to talk highly of people that have died, this column wove praises for her long before she took a leap into the Celestial Kingdom of Glory weeks ago.

Grace’s rare talent was that she was the most unique one amongst the many gospel artists that we have in the country. She was a gifted lyricist as she made writing lyrics for her songs a speciality.

Besides, she could also sing for which she became known in musical cycles as singer-lyricist.

There is also more to her in that she embodied the differentiation that exists between a singer-lyricist and singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.

In short, she was triply endowed as she was singer-lyricist-composer.  

Last time I pointed out that when you are a gospel artist you risk being dismissively given the rubbish tag that is cynical of every musical talent and endowment on display.

I have argued on the basis that every religious belief is a closed system and as a result it has its bedrock on a specific dogmatic belief. This is the reason one can neither question nor disagree with church authorities.

While the explanation is that God is Omnipotent, He was there and shall always be there looks like enough, it still has holes which fail to hold together even a child’s credulity.

This is where a belief will use its ‘closed system’ which simply shuts up you by saying it is the evil powers of Satan that drives you to ask such questions. This snaps any desire to ask more questions. This approach is what is usually looked at as a dogmatic slumber where you wake up at your own peril.

This frame is unfortunately one which most gospel musicians want to use. They sing very bad songs, which they are not even ashamed to put on CDs or tapes and call them albums, comfortable in the belief that no one will point a finger at their mediocrity because it is the Word of God.

Artists that are into gospel take it for granted that since it is gospel music then they could get away with murder.

No, as I have disputed before, I am not going to fall for that; this is a big blue lie.

God loves beauty, this is the reason even his creations are beautiful, including Lucifer himself although in believers’ depiction he is shown as a badly-horned looking creature!

Now for Grace, she carried her way into the musical journey so well that she even made her dismissing agitators appreciate her talent.

Grace underwent a very horrible divorce court battle in 2007 and many thought the end of her musical career was signed off and sealed.

A year earlier she had released ‘Thandizo Langa’ which despite registering onset success ended up being sneered at due to her divorce court case.

Many people never bothered to look at what Jesus was scribbling down and wanted to start stoning her and due to such condemnation she left for the United Kingdom in the hope that it would provide an asylum where she would be able to recharge her batteries.

She returned home and on 10th October 2010 Grace unveiled what have become hits songs in what as her third album ‘Udzayimba Nyimbo’.Whatever bad publicity that derided her inspired her to come up with tracks that carry pure musical touch like ‘Mundisungire Korona’.

It was a ringing response to the ridicule she suffered when things turned up solemn after her divorce. She exacted her attack back to those that derided with the kind of art that was uniquely created.

And at the launch of her album she never shied away from declaring that ‘Grace is Grace, Take it or leave it!’

When you listen to Grace’s music one thing that is clear is that the instrumentation is not the hurried kick-kick, rush-rush concoction that has crammed the gospel music market.

She took her time to make music that appeal, unlike most so-called gospel musicians that sing mediocrity in the hope that people will listen to it anyway because it is gospel after all.

From such tracks like Ndayalula, Tapulumuka, Anandigula to Absalom one would appreciate, not only the resilience that is a tool of a brilliant musician in a challenging market, but also the patience of taking time to compose and record music.

The piece of work that is Grace Chinga’s third album for example is one product that one rarely releases. It complicates the text book theories that prescribe what is the best mood, time, place, state of mind to compose music.

When one deeply listens to content of Grace’s music, you would but realize with veneration such an intelligent talented maker of music she was.

I know that while her departure is a loss to the local music fraternity, it is a gain amongst the angels.

The Mockery that was Grammy Nominee

I listened to Zomba Prison Project album titled ‘I have no everything here’ and I am still bemused that for time in memorial this is the kind of work that will be identified as the best in musical aspect that the country could offer to the world.

When I was going through the 20-track-album I could not help it but feel very offended considering that we are one of the best musical creative minds in this part of Africa. By the way I should say it here again that our Kwela genre which was popularised by late Daniel Kachamba found itself in South Africa taken there by our local miners where it engendered with the musical culture of that country to become what has become that country’s popular musical genres.

This has been achieved after passing through a series of stages in form and musical functionality and successive recurrences that has come to be known with localised names of those countries while we are still struggling to establish a national music genre.

By the way Kalimba Band's 'Sometimes I wonder' was hit UK top 40 charts.

At the moment we have artists like Lawi, Peter Mawanga, and Wambali Mkandawire whose productions can win us a Grammy.        

When the Malawian prison band album was nominated for a 2016 Grammy Award in the Best World Music category which of course was won by Angelique Kidjo from Benin, I knew it was a disaster.

Convicted murderer Elias Chimenya on bass guitar, burglar Stefano Nyirenda, and prison guard Thomas Binamo, one of the band's songwriters, are just some of the 60 prisoners who make up Prison Project band and I have nothing against them.

My misgivings are not even coming in because those nominated are convicted criminals but because this is mocking our music industry by dangling this recording industry’s most prestigious prize right above our noses knowing that we are not up to a scratch to stand shoulder to shoulder amongst those that matter.

But, imagine apart from Kidjo, the album was competing with works from three other international music stars including Ladysmith Black Mambazo of South Africa, Gilberto Gil of Brazil and Anoushka Shankar from India.

As I said earlier Kidjo won the award for her album "Sings" and to understand my contention, you just need to listen to this album and appreciate its musicality which can not compare by any iota our offerings to the Grammy.

At first I was wondering how the album found itself on the list of the nominees, but when I learnt that Ian Brennan, the album's producer is a 2012 Grammy award winner, pieces started falling into place.

In fact he told the Associated Press news agency that he was surprised that his "massive, money-losing labor of love" had gained attention on the world music stage justifying it by saying Music is a tool for empathy having worked for the past 20 years in psychiatric facilities where he became an expert in violence prevention.

Now all other people across the world are attacking Brenann saying this album celebrated criminals to which he is arguing that it is not about glorifying anyone but it is about humanizing, and everyone should be humanized.

He struck a deal with Malawian prison officials to host workshops on conflict prevention with detainees for two weeks in 2013 while being given the opportunity to record their hymns and traditional songs in a makeshift studio next to a noisy carpentry workshop at the facility.

Yes all inmates who contributed to the project were given a monetary payment, clothing and other food and basic supplies while profits from the sale of the EP will be shared amongst the participants, including those who have been released.

Now an EP which is a short form for extended play is a musical recording that contains more music than a single, but is usually too short to qualify as a full studio album or LP and it took Brennan six hours to have the recorded music edited back to the final tracks on the album, which feature 16 of the prisons' musicians and 18 of the disc's 20 songs are sung in the local Chichewa language.

Now, this to me is the ‘mzungu’ mentality display when it comes to African issues where they will come and take several pictures of our Malawian children for example, and decide to publish those pictures that show our children that have been badly ravaged by hunger or shredded by the pangs of poverty. This does not mean there were no better pictures, but this is to put on show the cultural imperialism that feeds their superiority activism demons.

My point finally is that what was put on offer for the award is not the best from the land, but perhaps one would wonder why no one from home has ever sent any entries for the award and therefore those that do it on our behalf are not to blame when they pick and choose that which will otherwise serve their personal interests more than our national pride.

Compared to what is obtaining in our music industry, what was sent from Malawi is what Limbani Banda would call ‘trash’ without blinking.