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Music Crossroads taps talent in Chikuni

 

By Mazuba Mwiinga

Up until the recent past, Zambia had been a dumping ground for foreign music.

Rhumba from the former Zaire had been Zambia’s musical anthem in all social gatherings, Radio musical shows and public concerts. On the other hand, Rhythm and Blues (R & B) as Western lyrics are commonly known, were the other choice – though popular among the young ages.

But almost from no-where, rhumba got axed and died a natural death as Kalifunko and Zam–raga Zambian modern lyrics; a combination of Western flavour and Zambian tunes, took center stage. With the use of lyric programmed equipment like the famous piano-organ, Zambian musicians composed songs based on their daily lives. Their albums frolicked to neigbouring countries and sold like hot cakes. But one thing still seemed to be missing. The reality of their instruments. Very few of these musicians were able to pull a string of a guitar so is to beat the drums.

Then in realizing this decline in the use of physical instruments, prompted a group of youths to join hands with other groups from some parts of Africa to campaign for it. Their ideal was to promote young musicians by encouraging them to hit the drums, pull the strings and open up their mouths to express their feelings rather than following an already programmed lyric. They believe this lessens the gap of creativity and makes the singer dormant. No wonder Zambia produced so many sweet-voiced musicians who can’t go on the stage to perform live. In Zambia the group became known as Music Crossroads Zambia.

This group has been holding musical festivals and competitions through out the country, working with young musicians from 15 years to 27 years. And recently they crossed to Chikuni Mission in Southern Province, at Chikuni Radio to see what was going on in the area of music.

With a list of visible successes in promoting culture through music, Radio Chikuni made a partnership with Music Crossroads Zambia so easily. More than one hundred young musicians from twenty-three groups around Chikuni and the tourist capital city Livingstone showed the audience that music belongs to them as well.

The young Chaamuka Kingsters, one of Chikuni’s earliest band, opened the arena with their fast and smooth lyric to the applause of the audience. But when the unfancied; first time on the stage, Kamutanta Guys pulled their first string, almost every eye was glued to the front as hands shoved the air. The group exposed young boys, as young as ten years old competing with the experienced big guitarists like Chigome X-Bass. Kamutanta’s display of their prowess signified in clear terms that music talent in Southern Province and Chikuni in particular is such an asset that needs to be continuously watered. The young boys did not only sound the drums and strings with competence and confidence, but the message too was clear and to the point. Young as they were, no one expected them to advise husbands to stop neglecting their ailing parents at the expense of enriching their wives. But as such an event was a game of win and lose, the boys could not join the selected team.

Then from band to band, the festival educated and entertained those who attended. At one point, another group of younger members, the Choompa Blue Stars, threw the crowd to the tiptoes dancing their nerves out. With their hit track MUNTU MUYANGA, every Jim and jack either nodded where they were or pranced their waists or had broad smiles of approval on their face. The track had been numerously requested by listeners on Radio Chikuni. The message was simple: “You cannot argue with a fool unless you too are foolish.” Unfortunately them too did not cross the judging line of Music Crossroads to the displeasure of those who thought they deserved the selection too.

Another younger, may be the youngest solo participant to note is an amazingly talented boy, Rodrick Mungala. With his poetic verses locally known as KUYABILA, using a palm drum, he yet again surprised the people. The last time he had done this was during the annual Radio Chikuni Tonga Music concert at which he got first prize in the Poetry category last year. As opposed to hunger last year, Mungala at the Crossroads festival reminded people of how important it is to take children to school. Creatively he started his verses like this: “…………KITI QUIET people…KITI QUIET…” But he actually meant “KEEP QUIET”. From there he told us why it is so important for parents to take children to school for them to read English properly.

The variety of poetry, string and drum plus reggae from the Jah Messengers and Mosi-oa-Tunya Wailing Wailers both of Livingstone, displayed a blend of a pure artistic festival and competition, making it so hard for the judges to pick three groups and fell for four. Spiced by the Rare Roses of Lusaka with their track OSA LWALA, they engulfed the crowd to cheers, ululations and applauds of ecstasy. The Moyo Boys surprisingly gave out a very unique kind of a tune; the Franco type while the Chigome X-Bass flagging off with the cock-crow improvised from the mouth of one of the band members, were welcomed with cracks of claps and whistles.

The festival had started with a Music Workshop the day before in which the musicians were drilled on vocal, instrumental and beating skills. At the end of the competition Moyo Boys of Muzoka, Chigome X-Bass of Chikanta in Choma, Rodrick Mungala of Mulongalwiili in Chikuni and a band led by Fellow Mucelemba of Moyo in Muzoka, managed to cross the thin line of the highly competitive show. They were each given K250, 000 by the family of Mr. Swethern Hangala of Lusaka.

The four groups will participate in the National Festival and Competition in Lusaka in October this year. Two of those to be selected in Lusaka will represent Zambia in Malawi later in the year in the Inter-Regional Festival and Competition at which one winning group will have to tour Europe for six weeks.

As the Festival died down in the early hours of the evening, the crowd went back home with mixed feelings. They were murmuring, some grumbling, others celebrating yet others in doubt, saying the best had not been selected. But as someone said that beauty lies in eyes of the beholder; so was the best Bands lying in the opinions of the judges; but definitely not far from the expectations of the majority who attended. After all the majority wins and determines the success of an ideal.

Viva host Radio Chikuni and organizers Music Crossroads Zambia.
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