entertainment – Chanters Lodge Livingstone

Krummy – One Hit Wonder?

George da Soulchild Kaufela, co-host of our weekly radio show The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient, together with the Weekend Post, hope that Krummy’s ‘Kanselele’ is not a one hit wonder……

Every once in a while in Zambia there comes a song that creates a certain buzz in the local music industry – this goes way back to the times of Paul Ngozi and the Mulemena Boys. Notably, recently we have been treated to great songs such as ‘Bwela Pa Numba’ by Alubuso’, ‘Over Over’ by Jimmy, and ‘Mistaken Identity’ by Espe.

Now we have “Kanselele” by Krummy aka Mulunga Chisonta which seems to be the most happening song in the country. Krummy might not be well known especially in Lusaka but the singer’s ‘Kanselele’ hit has been topping charts on the Copperbelt since it was recently released. The song has for several months now topped music charts on Yar and Flava FM radio stations. Krummy was also privileged to curtain raise for South Africa’s Professor and Mafikizolo shows in Kitwe recently.

While some people get confused regarding the song’s composer, considering that it also features JK and Dandy Crazy, the Kitwe-based singer confirmed that ‘Kanselele’ is actually his song. The nightclub tune describes a situation where a man decides to move on with his life after being disappointed by his lover.

Krummy, who draws his inspiration from US superstar R Kelly and local crooner Exile, has decided to name his debut 14 track album ‘Kanselele.’ Produced on the Goddy Saurus Label by Baska, the project comprises the songs ‘Kamungeli’, ‘Kokolapo’, ‘What If’, ‘Total Pa Total’ and ‘Pa Cha Tapakupala’. A blend of Bemba and Nyanja, the album features collaborations with Yellowman, Baska, Sykor and Ostyno among others.

Krummy says he took time to compose his songs in order to come up with a project that caters for all age groups. Like others that have come before him we certainly hope he is not a one hit wonder, and we wish him all the best.

18
NOV

Africa, entertainment, music, Zambia

Honeymoon Experience!

Meet Monica and George Thompson (above), she from Chingola, Zambia and he originally from Leeds and now from South London, UK. The couple were married in Zambia in September and whilst on their honeymoon staying at Chanters, were our charming and entertaining Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild. The Experience is our weekly Sunday night radio show on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station, on which we play latest international and Zambian music, chat to our Guests and give away a prize of a dinner for two at the lodge – if a lucky listener can text us quickly telling us who’s the artist on our ‘oldie of the week’. Mutinta won the prize on this show telling us that ‘Lonely’ was recorded by Akon! We also give pertinent social media updates and international chart news on the show.

George and Monica told listeners that they had met about two years ago on a dating site on the internet and had corresponded regularly throughout the intervening period. George had promised Monica that when he came to Zambia, if everything was well between them, they would get married and so it had come to pass! Monica is a nurse at the Nchanga School of Nursing on the Copperbelt though she revealed that she had recently resigned her appointment after 18 years of service. George is semi-retired though he still follows his passion of restoring classic British motor cycles of which he now has as many as fourteen in his personal possession. He revealed that his sons buy him old motor bikes for about 15,000 pounds which sell for as much as 35,000 pounds when restored. Before retirement George had been in the armed forces and then involved with heavy plant shifting for Britain’s sea defences.

The music on the show was nice with latest tracks from Storm Queen, Taylor Swift, Draf-X, Slap D, Miley Cyrus and Chris Brown. My regular ‘pick of the week’ was Future’s ‘Real and True’ featuring Miley Cyrus and Mr Hudson. We closed with Britney Spears’ ‘Perfume’.

We wondered whether George had paid ‘lobola’ to be able to marry Monica and she confirmed that he had – ‘under protest’ – but the amount was not revealed! We also asked whether he had been served the traditional food by Monica’s family that he could expect to eat once they were wed, together with the traditional washing of his hands and feet, and it was confirmed. We laughed when George declared that he could only eat nsima, Zambia’s staple food, when it was ‘treated’ with salt and tomato sauce! Heresy to those Zambians present in the studio! George told listeners he had two sons by previous relationships and Monica two boys and a girl. While they had been in Livingstone they had visited the crocodile park and had taken a game drive in the Mosi-o-Tunya NP as well as going to see the Falls. Monica had been excited to see a giraffe for the first time!

George revealed that his son takes him to watch Arsenal when he’s in London, but as he originated from the north of England he also cares about Leeds United and Manchester United results. He was queried by Milli Jam for such disloyalty to Arsenal! He told listeners that his favourite music is 60’s and that he had recently enjoyed a Rolling Stones concert in Hyde Park, London. Monica said she had no interest in football and when it came to music her taste was gospel music with ‘praise and worship’.

This lovely couple revealed that in ten years’ time George hoped to still be married to Monica, riding motor bikes and eating nsima, Monica that after some years working in UK that they would be happily settled together back in Zambia. We wished them the best of luck!

15
NOV

Africa, Arsenal, Chanters, copperbelt, crocodiles, entertainment, livingstone, music, radioshow, uk, victoriafalls, Zambia

Zambia Music Awards

George da Soulchild Kaufela, co-host of both Zambezi 107.7’s Breakfast Show as well The Chanters Lodge Experience each Sunday on the same station, is excited about the Zambia Music Awards 2014 launch party, set for next week, November 16th 2013. He writes:

“Early this year witnessed the successful hosting of the first ever Zambia Music Awards sponsored by Mosi Lager honouring local artists with 31 categories in total, ranging from Best Traditional Performer to Best Keyboard Player to even Best Radio DJ! We all know that radio DJ’s play a vital role in the promotion of local music!

For next year organisers of the Zambia Music Awards are aiming higher with the inclusion of 3 more categories to the 31 that already exist. To sensitize the general public and create more awareness of these awards and nomination procedures, The Zambia Music Awards crew has teamed up with R&G Events for the launch party of the 2014 Zambia Music Awards and the date is set for the 16th of November 2013. The launch party will have all the hottest local artists invited by Mosi, and will be a platform to introduce the public to the 2014 campaign.

Screens will be fitted around the venue with presentations to explain the voting process and how to nominate for each of the 34 categories. There will be great live performances by a few artists to get you in the mood!

More information will also be made available on the official sites www.zambiamusicawards.com and the Facebook page www.facebook.com/ZambiaMusicAwards. I must add that the 2013 Awards were well organised and attended. Rapper Slap Dee was the biggest winner on the night walking away with six awards.

This year’s nominations are opening soon. The Zambia Music Awards honour achievements in the recording arts and support the Zambian music industry without regard to album sales or chart position.”

10
NOV

Africa, art, awards, entertainment, music, Zambia

Butterfly Tree Volunteers Rock The Experience!

We were delighted once again to be able to host representatives of the Butterfly Tree Charity on the latest edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience last Sunday night. The Butterfly Tree charity was founded by Jane Kaye-Bailey after a business incentive trip to Zambia with her late husband, Lawrence, in February 2006. During a visit to the Mukuni Village, Jane was determined to find a way to raise funds to help these vulnerable village children.The Experience is usually co-hosted by Milli Jam and George Kaufela but this week George was on his own as Milli Jam was attending his brother’s wedding in Lusaka. Our Guests Jess Varley (left above) and Emma Kennedy from England have been in Livingstone for a few weeks volunteering at the Butterfly Tree. Jess, a nursing graduate has been busy helping at the rural health centre in Mukuni Village whilst Emma, a final year International Development student at the University of Suffolk in Norwich has been more involved with the orphan sponsorship programme.

The girls told listeners that they were thoroughly enjoying their time in Zambia and on 11th November intended to undertake a sixty kilometre walk in the village of Chunga in Chief Mukuni to raise money for the Butterfly Tree. They had chosen this location and route to highlight awareness that some of the children and expectant mothers in that area were obliged to walk 30 kilometres from their homes to school and clinics respectively and then the same distance later in the day to return home. Butterfly Tree hoped to establish a boarding home to help alleviate this situation and funds were required for that.

The music on the show was great as usual. We opened with latest tracks from One Direction and The Wanted, before George dropped Zambian numbers from T-Sean and Exile. After another chat with the girls we moved on to music from South African star Danny K and then Drake. Our oldie of the week was Nelly’s ‘Ride With Me’ and the prize of a dinner for two with drinks at the lodge was snapped up by a certain Chris! My pick of the week was Avril Lavigne featuring Marilyn Manson – Bad Girl. Shades of Suzie Quatro there. We closed with Lady Gaga’s ‘Venus’ which contains the classic line ‘Uranus – Don’t you know my ass is famous’!

The girls told listeners they had been enjoying life in Livingstone and had done loads of the tourist activities including Devil’s Pool on Livingstone Island, the one day safari to Chobe, the microlight and white water rafting. They had not done the bungee jump (George has) but they were planning to do a tandem gorge swing very soon. The had enjoyed some of the Livingstone night life. George asked them about football, Emma supports Norwich where she is at university, Jess Chelsea where she works and George is a Liverpool fan. I, a Gooner, was happy to be able to report two nil, two nil and seven nil defeats for their teams the previous afternoon.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Jess hoped to be working for Medicines Sans Frontiers, and Emma to be a project manager with a small NGO – neither of the girls mentioned husbands or children……

7
NOV

activities, Africa, charities, entertainment, health, livingstone, radioshow, victoriafalls, volunteers, Zambia

Lewis Simango

There was drama at the start of the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George ‘Kaufela’ da Soulchild, our weekly Sunday night radio show on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station, as the studio was plunged into darkness by a power cut – not a particularly unusual occurrence in Livingstone. After some of us had been obliged to climb the six flights of stairs to get to work (no Zesco – no lifts), we were lucky that our Guest of the week – Lewis Simango (above) – is technically gifted and was well able to start up the studio’s stand by generator. We were lucky! Even so, the genset only operates the system and the transmission so for the first half of the show we did it in the dark!

Lewis told listeners that he is a part time presenter on 107.7 fm and a born again Christian. He has a show featuring gospel music every Sunday called 426. “Why that name?” I wondered. “Because the show airs from 14 – 18 hrs” Lewis replied. “Ah!” I said, feeling dull and knackered from climbing the stairs! Lewis explained that he mostly features gospel music on his show but that he also has a certain man of God from the church of ‘Lion of Judah’ who comes in to preach. “Do you think there’s too much religious broadcasting on this station?” Milli Jam asked. “Certainly not!” the unsurprising reply.

We don’t play gospel music on our show even though we also broadcast on Sundays. On this edition we featured tracks from Showtek, James Arthur, Zone Fam and Kaufela ft Mbototo. Milli Jam played Sean Paul and Bruno Mars. Our oldie of the week was Katie Melua’s ‘Closest Thing To Crazy’ but no-one won the prize. There was one forlorn text message saying ‘these oldies are so hard for us youth’! Seeing that the prize had been won for the previous three weeks running we disputed this! My pick of the week was Ne-Yo featuring Future with ‘Luxurious’. “Everyone’s featuring Future’ said George. We closed with Sean Paul’s hit ‘Turn It Up’.

Lewis made us laugh when Milli Jam asked what sport he liked and his reply was ‘wrestling’. “Ah!” said Milli Jam “and who’s your favourite wrestler?”. “Well” said Lewis “despite my religion it’s The Undertaker”! Lewis professed no interest in UK soccer. Our Guest said his greatest influence in terms of his show was Jo Austin, and that he had been with 107.7 for almost a year. He loved broadcasting and had joined the station as a result of starting early as a member of the station’s fan club. He also revealed that he is a musician himself, soon hoping to release his first album. He is also an events manager with Livingstone Lighthouse, and so he makes ends meet. He is a single man, Lozi by tribe, “pure Lozi” he said. He had been educated at David Livingstone High School and was undertaking further studies by distance learning.

As the show came to an end, Lewis rushed off the shut down the generator and switch back on to mains power – technical indeed!

31
OCT

Africa, broadcasting, education, electricity, entertainment, football, livingstone, media, radioshow, recording, religion, Zambia

Like Daughter Like Parents!

A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of hosting Frida Haavik with two of her friends, as Guests on the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George Soulchild, our weekly Sunday night radio show airing at 20.30 hrs CAT on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. Frida is a Norwegian student living in Zambia for some three months as part of her university course in occupational therapy. It was great therefore to be able to welcome Frida’s parents, Janne and Trond Haavik as Guests on the most recent edition of the show. Janne and Trond told our listeners they had jumped at the chance to come to Zambia – visiting Frida making an ideal excuse!

Janne, a kitchen designer and fitter, as well as a part time tour guide in Norway, and Trond, a business consultant live in Nordfjordeid, a stunningly beautiful part of Norway north of Bergen, and have been married for twenty four years, though they have been together for thirty three. “It took her a long time to agree to marry me!” Laughed Trond. “Was it love at first sight?” Milli Jam wanted to know, “for me it was anyway” said Trond. They told listeners they had only arrived in Zambia two days before the show but that they had already been busy. Their first day they had spent in and around Livingstone’s markets shopping, then on the afternoon of the show they had taken a trip out to ‘The Secret Island’ upstream from Victoria Falls where they had a great time with Frida and some of her friends. Janne admitted to having been ‘rather worried’ about the proximity of hippos. They had a two day/ one night safari to Chobe NP in Botswana planned for the day after the show and then they would spend a night in the village with Frida, seeing where she was working and what she was doing.

The music on the show was great, we opened with tracks from Wilkinson and Lawson. George chose Zambian tracks from Crisis Mr Swagger featuring Paul Ngozi as well as Izreal. Milli Jam preferred numbers from Drake and Avicii. Our oldie of the week was ‘That’s What Friends Are For’ a compilation single from the 80’s in aid of HIV Aids support. The track is generally credited to Stevie Wonder and we gave the prize of a lunch for two with drinks and a swim to the listener who texted that answer! Well done Musa! My pick of the week was Katy Perry’s super ‘Legendary Lovers’ and we closed with Eminem’s ‘Rap God’ for George, who raps.

Trond told listeners that one of their favourite artists is Bruce Springsteen and they were lucky enough to have been able to attend two of his concerts in Norway. Sports wise Trond admitted to being a Liverpool supporter, which pleased George and which allowed Milli Jam and I the chance to discuss the relative league positions of that club and Arsenal! Janne explained that back in Norway they love the Biathlon, a combination of cross country skiing and shooting. In certain months of the year at home in Norway, due to the warm water in the fijords from the gulf stream, you could swim and then go skiing, they told listeners. They were happy they had chosen to stay at Chanters Lodge during their visit to Zambia.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing ten years from now, Trond replied that it would be nice to be in Zambia helping Zambian businesses develop and grow, while Janne said she would be at home in Norway looking after their small farm and their horses.

What funny, loving and happy parents Frida is lucky to have!

25
OCT

activities, Africa, Chanters, entertainment, music, Norway, radioshow, tourism, victoriafalls, Zambia

Kaufela Close Up!

Milli Jam and I decided to turn the tables on one of our co-presenters on the latest edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild and put George (above) in the chair as the Guest! It was not the first time he’s featured but it had been a long time since we heard from him and we felt our newer listeners should get some insight into George, his past and his ambitions. It was fascinating stuff! ‘The Experience’ is our weekly Sunday night radio show airing on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station, for an hour from 20.30 hrs CAT.

Milli Jam wanted to know how long George had been with Zambezi fm and how he came to be employed in the first place. George told listeners that he’d served for between four and five years. He had been on holiday in Livingstone and had been making some guest appearances at one of Livingstone’s other radio stations when he received a call from the then general manager of Zambezi fm, Chanda Mfula, who had asked him to come and audition with Zambezi fm. He had been successful, following which he was sent to SkyFM, another Southern Province radio station, for further training. George had worked for an organization called Africa Innovations before this lucky break. I offered the opinion on air that I was not surprised that he had been quickly snapped up by Zambezi FM as he had a natural radio voice – and he has!

“How long have you been singing”? Milli Jam asked, and George told our listeners that he had first started rapping in secondary school, covering hits by the likes of Snoop Dogg and others. He had recorded his first single in 2003 with Leo Muntu and subsequently had recorded about 12 singles. He rated the best of these as his new one ‘Enter Enter’ as well as another called ‘Your Smile’. He rated his best live shows as ones that had happened on the Copperbelt, Sesheke and one he had played across in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

The music on or show was good. We dropped tracks from Conor Maynard and Miley Cyrus (who else) at the top of the show. Before he knew he would be appearing as the guest George had chosen work from Exile as well as Mr Vezzy. Milli Jam played numbers from Justin Timberlake and Katy Perry. Our oldie of the week was Alicia Keys’ ‘Sleeping With A Broken Heart’ and the prize we give to the first listener to text us the name of the performing artist was quickly snapped up by Raphael amongst a flood of contestants. My pick of the week was James Blunt’s ‘Heroes’ and we closed with a track from The Saturdays.

Milli Jam referred to George’s recent bungee jumping exploits and asked if he had been scared. George replied that he had not, but that his Granny had been very frightened when he had shown her the video of the jump! Asked why he supported Liverpool football club, our guest did not give a satisfactory reply but told us that his favourite player was Steven Gerrard. We asked him how he managed to get up so early every morning to host the breakfast show and he said ‘you get used to it’!. He revealed that he would soon become an uncle as his sister was expecting a baby. He thanked Father Cletus from Radio Mosi-o-Tunya for the guidance he had given him in his early years of broadcasting.

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing in 10 years’ time, George told listeners that he would like to be highly successful in broadcasting and music, and would like to own his own radio station. We wished him the best of luck and thanked him for his service to our show!

17
OCT

activities, Africa, charities, communications, copperbelt, entertainment, entrepreneurship, livingstone, music, radioshow, recording, victoriafalls, zambezi, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Eazy Tee Rocks!

Despite our proximity to Zimbabwe we have had few, if any, Guests on the ‘Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George Kaufela Soulchild’ from our neighbouring country, so it was a pleasure to welcome ‘Eazy Tee’ (above, filming) aka Taurai Matsokotere on to the most recent edition of the show. The programme, sponsored by Chanters Lodge, airs on Zambezi 107.7 fm from 20.30 hrs CAT for an hour each and every Sunday night. Taurai is a highly rated DJ in the area with a wealth of international experience – on the side he’s also a graduate of Cape Town University and an entrepreneur in the world of graphic design.

Taurai told listeners that his company, based in Victoria Falls, Marvelworx Media, is involved in web hosting, print design, website design and television advertising. The company had initially been started up in Cape Town, but due to circumstances beyond his control he had been forced to return home to Zimbabwe and re-establish his business in his homeland. Milli Jam wanted to know how Eazy Tee had first become involved in the world of music, clubs and DJ’s and Taurai explained that he has many sisters and he had first begun playing tracks for parties at home. Impressively he also told us that he had paid his own way through University by playing at clubs in Cape Town. He told us of ‘Long Street’ in that city which has more than 60 clubs! He would play four clubs in one night in order to raise funds!

The music on our show was good, we opened with tracks from The Vamps and Fuse OMG. George played numbers from Zambian artists Chisamo and B’Flow. Milli Jam dropped tracks from Chris Brown and Naughty Boy. Our oldie of the week was the Dixie Chicks with ‘Travellin’ Soldier’ but it was a tough one, and no-one picked up the prize we give each week to the first person to text us with the name of the performing artist on the track. My pick of the week was Cher’s ‘I Hope You Find It’. We closed with Rihanna’s ‘What Now’ – amidst some studio amusement.

Milli Jam wanted to know what advice Taurai would give to aspiring, upcoming DJ’s (also telling us that he rated Eazy Tee in his top three all time DJ’s in the region – Milli Jam should know he’s been around the circuit and is highly rated himself). Eazy Tee told them to be careful with ‘Virtual DJ’ and that they should first learn the art of mixing with vinyl and CD’s before travelling the virtual route. He also told listeners that he is still single although ‘spoken for’ and that he has a 10 year old daughter Natasha Precious back in his home town Bulawayo. He had played clubs in more than 7 countries in the region and rated Circles in Ndola very highly in terms of audience reaction.

Eazy Tee told us that his own favourite music is soul and r and b and that he loves Mary J Blige and Tony Braxton. He had done the bungee jump and he had walked with lions. He liked cricket more than football. Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Taurai told listeners that he had a newly established advertising company called Tradeazy and he hoped in ten years’ time the company would be hugely successful.

11
OCT

activities, Africa, art, broadcasting, education, entertainment, entrepreneurship, innovation, livingstone, marketing, media, radioshow, rsa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Krystle The Brave!

Sometimes tourists come to Livingstone just to experience the fantastic array of activities available in the area, with viewing the Victoria Falls somehow a secondary consideration on their itinerary. It seems this was the case for Krystle Cummings (above), young, pretty Canadian Guest on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela. ‘The Experience’ is the weekly Sunday night radio show we sponsor airing from 20.30 hrs CAT for an hour on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. The show is a popular mixture of music and chat with our invited guest, sometimes someone staying at Chanters Lodge, sometimes a local personality. Members of staff at the lodge have also appeared as Guests on the show.

Krystle told listeners that while she had been in Livingstone, she had ridden elephants, swum in Devil’s Pool on Livingstone Island, flown over Victoria Falls for 15 minutes in/on a microlight, gone white water rafting and swung the gorge swing – this last activity ‘more than once’. The scariest? ‘White water rafting!’ She said. Milli Jam wanted to know if there were any activities she wished she’d done but hadn’t, and she mentioned the rhino walk, and the lion/cheetah encounter! She had also been to Chobe National Park in Botswana for the one day safari and had been thrilled to see so many elephants.

Before arriving in Livingstone, Krystle, a Justice graduate from the University of British Columbia, had spent time in Lusaka, staying with a Zambian family on a short internship with Advocacy for Juvenile Justice. This programme had involved visiting juveniles incarcerated in adult Zambian prisons, with a view to trying to bring about a change in this unsatisfactory situation, which, she said, simply leads to a continued cycle of crime. Juveniles locked up with adults had little chance of reform and much more likelihood of repeat offending, she explained. Zambia was one of the very few countries to offer a chance to non-Zambians to visit the prisons and she described her time in Lusaka as an ‘eye opener’.

The music on the show was good. We opened with tracks from Enrique and Avicii. George dropped numbers from Pilato and General Ozzy. Milli Jam chose music from Beyonce and Daft Punk. Our oldie of the week was Amayenge’s ‘Ten Wala’ and the prize we give to the first person to text us the name of the performing artist was quickly snapped up! My pick of the week was R Kelly’s ‘Genius’. We closed with tracks from Daughtry and John Legend.

Krystle told listeners that although she was still single she had a steady boyfriend back in Canada who was just finishing College, as indeed she herself had just finished. Brian (his name) was studying web design, she said, and revealed that he was an adrenaline junkie just dying to come to Zambia to do the bungee jump! Brian was a Manchester City fan though Krystle herself follow iced hockey more than English football. Milli Jam was very happy that Arsenal were top of the EPL as we went on air and took every opportunity to remind listeners of this fact! Our Canadian guest said she was a fan of Mumford and Sons and had recently been lucky enough to have front row seats at one of their concerts, which she had loved. She was also a fan of Kings of Leon.

Asked where she would like to be and what she would like to be doing ten years’ from now, Krystle hoped to have a great job, a nice house and to have travelled to every single continent. Coming from one who had just visited Zambia’s congested run down prisons and risked life and limb celebrating Livingstone’s great adrenaline activities, we had no doubt she would succeed!

4
OCT

activities, Africa, Arsenal, Botswana, Canada, Chanters, children, Chobe, education, entertainment, football, livingstone, music, radioshow, travel, Zambia

Amayenge Still Rock Zambia!

This piece from George Kaufela Soulchild – co-presenter of our weekly radio show:

A few years ago the BBC reported that the Zambian music industry was the fastest growing industry in Southern Africa. The so called ‘Urban Zambian’ artists are enjoying regional and to some extent world wide fame and its all thanks to the pioneers. In the famous words of the great Bob Marley “In this great future, you can’t forget your past”. A band that has been around in Zambia for 20 years plus and still going strong is the evergreen Amayenge Band.

Amayenge is a popular Zambian music group. Started by Kris Chali (above) in 1978 in Choma, the band was originally called Crossbones, one of many Zambian acts that had sprung up to play gigs based on rock. Later the band became known as the New Crossbones, after a change in direction, sponsorship and management. The musical style of the group is called Kalindula, distinctive Zambian popular style with traditional African roots. Kris Chali played a very leading role in transforming this band with humble beginnings to be the most successful band in the Zambian Music history. He died on 30th May 2003.

Amayenge has dominated Zambia’s music scene for almost two and half decades by embracing all the 73 tribes of Zambia and making the entire nation feel a part of their unique vibe,They are without a doubt, the most versatile and successful band in the history of Zambian music,The band has continued to perform in Zambia and other southern African countries including Europe and Asia.

Their membership has changed somewhat in recent years. Current band members are: Alice Chali (Dancer/Vocalist), Obert Chali (Vocalist/Dancer), Emmanuel Kayeji (Dancer/Vocalist), Bester Mudenda (Dancer/Vocalist), Jonathan Nthanga (Lead Guitar), Mathews Mulenga (Rhythm Guitar), Joseph Mwamba (Drums), Davy Muthali (Percussionist), Chabala Chitambo (Percussionist), Donald Njovu (Percussionist),
Eddy Moto (Sound Engineer) and Sam Chiluba (Bass).

Amayenge has received worldwide attention from WOMAD in London to Asia and the Americas. Amayenge is now managed by Frazer Chilembo.nn

Editors note: I love their ‘Chipolopolo’ track in honour of the Zambian national soccer team!

1
OCT

Africa, entertainment, music, Zambia

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