MALAWIAN MUSICIANS: A Look at an Eventful History Past and Present

By Patrick Simakweli

This book looks at Malawian music from the past to the present and how it has developed over the years. It gives the country's top musicians over the period.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Patrick Simakweli
• Release date: Jan 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215664117

Book preview

MALAWIAN MUSICIANS

A Look at an Eventful History

Past and Present

by

Patrick Simakweli

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Preface

Chapter One

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

1.My Life

2. My Music Career

3. Born Again

4. Private life

5. The book and looking ahead

Chapter Two

MALAWI’S MUSIC HISTORY

1. Great Musicians of the 50s

2. Musical Bands of the past

4. Distinguished selected personalities in Malawi Music

5. Top 40 musicians to remember – 1940 – 2010

6. Malawian reknown musicians from the 1940’s to the 1980’s

7. Talented musicians who died young

Chapter Three

MUSIC AND MUSICIANS OF NEW MALAWI

1. Musical Bands and Personalities of today

2. Gospel Music in Malawi

3. Bands from Chancellor College, University of Malawi

Chapter Four

SUPPORT AND PROMOTION OF MALAWI’S MUSIC

1. Promoters and personalities in Malawi Music

2. Old Entertainment Places

3. Music Outlets

4. Companies that assisted in Malawi Music

5. Music Association of Malawi (MAM)

6. Music School

7. Some notable music stars who visited Malawi

Chapter Five

MUSIC BASICS

Dedication

Mabel Mpingasa, my lovely angel from Chileka, who is the meaning of my life. May God bless our path.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements are due to the following individuals and organizations that have over the years assisted me to pursue with my music career but also others who sacrificed their financial resources to develop my music.

Mr. Maxwell Katunga who is still alive and is Managing Director of Director of Progressive Insurance Co. in Zimbabwe. Dinesi Bwanali, a motor vehicle mechanic is now based in Manyowe in Blantyre.

Silvano Nankwenya he was my friend in the 1970. We used to play in the same band, Sturdust in 1974. He was playing second guitar (rhythms). He now stays at Manja in Soche.

Benjamin Zodetsa he has a garage a Kamba, Soche Township. He is a friend of the 70s.

Elisa Kumpukwe who works for NICO Insurance Company in Blantyre.

Boniwell Ninje, Frank Wadabwa, Keston Binauli, Harold Pangani all these are my friends of the 70s from Chilomoni Township, Blantyre.

Geoffrey Wawanya is one of the people who assisted me in my music career in my time of need.

Steve Msika, proprietor of Mawezi Freight Handlers is also one of the people I thank in my career.

Isaac Saka, former director of African Mingoli Band is also commended for our mutual cooperation in our music career.

Bernard Kwilimbe, Assistant Director of Culture (Arts & Crafts Department) who supplied some of the vital information.

Geoff Gondwe, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Music Association of Malawi who also supplied some information to this book.

Dr. Donald Kamdonyo for his technical advice.

Dr. R. Chanunkha for providing some of the notes on Reading Music in this book.

Other friends Messrs. Overton Chimombo, Richard Gadama, Maere, Khakhona, Eliasi ‘Nyasaland’ Ziphondo, Robert Gondwe, Don Mlenga and also Mrs. Mwafulirwa.

Acknowledgements should also go to Sambalikagwa Mvona, president of Malawi Writers Union for editing the book.

May I also thank all my fans wherever they are for supporting me all the way.

May God bless you all.

Preface

As you have observed, Malawi music started way back with humble beginnings. Most of the instruments which dominated were home-made and the musicians themselves have made a point to refine such art to reach this level. We have seen the banjo, the string bass drum, babatone, the pen-whistle (flute), the accordion, the home-made percussion (maseche) to the now recently invented electric guitar, keyboard, saxophone, violin, the sophisticated percussions, trumpet and what have you perfecting our music art.

Musicians have come and have gone. We have seen those who were not meant to be in the trade learning the art to become great musicians and we have also seen others, born with the art in their blood going to the zenith, up to the levels of receiving musical accolades elsewhere and sometimes decorated with honorary degrees, just to recognize their highest potentials in such art.

We have seen too musicians reversing the old trend Malawians had on Malawi music, when they were slamming contemporary musicians as a bunch of disgrace and uncreative gathering. But definitely, Malawi could not be an island. Our musicians have travelled too; far and near, in search of green pastures and in their long travels, they have discovered the right formula to attract the local music fans to buy their wares too.

The emergence of recording studios has also enabled our musicians to come up with meaningful and morally recorded albums that have attracted the local market. Today international music is gathering dust in music libraries and shops for Malawians have fallen for their own local music sophisticatedly done by their own home boys.

While such feat has been reached, and we musicians are proud of our own traditions and culture, languages and our way of living, our government seems not to reciprocate such strides. While they hail sportsmen and other disciplines as true reflections of flag carriers, we in the arts have been shrouded off like flies in dire need of food from their masters. Year in year out, we parrot the words Cultural Policy, Arts Council to government as if Capital Hill is composed of Standard Two dropouts who don’t know what such jargons means. We are dismay when we learn that the draft copy is lying at cabinet level for close to ten years. Is the executive trying to joke with us, taking advantage of our hopelessness?

We are craving for a Cultural Policy, we are aging for an Arts Council, for in there, there is shelter for