You cannot ignore Lucius Banda. Whether you love or hate him you will still pay attention when he makes any slight move. I came to this conclusion long time ago. I have done my share of critiquing his work because I could not help it.
But unlike some artists who would have taken my critical analysis with a pinch of salt and turned me into a nemesis, Lucius is what he is a professional and did it differently.
He invited me to observe what gruelling engagement studio work is and therefore let me with more opportunity to be able to punch more holes in his work of musical art when he was doing his 16th Album, titled ‘LIFE’.
This is the album, remember, that awakened the censorship board bull dogs as then the regime of late President Bingu wa Mutharika was unpopular and unknowingly gave Lucius free advertising through continuous vilification of his toils, before banning airplay of his music on public media outlets.
Now he is recording his seventeenth album ‘Time’ which I believe borrows its cue from the track ‘Nthawi’ in the “15/15: My Song” album.
I have the opportunity to listen to four tracks that he has released for sampling and they include ‘Missing Lucky’, ‘Mphawi Uja’, ‘Paulendo’ and ‘Tseketseke’.
I have a feeling that perhaps I need to hold my patience before I make my assessment, but just a peep into the album via the four tracks one would still be left with what I always call ‘the same Lucius Banda aftertaste’.
With going through 2012 without an album, expectations from his followers are higher than ever. But perhaps I can as well tell them that the star track in this album is not amongst the four tracks I have listened to.
May be except for the track ‘Mphawi Uja’ which shows how a powerful story teller Lucius is, where a poor boy marries a rich girl, he has reserved the best to be served later.
Lucius is in South Africa to polish his 17th album so that it shines like a diamond stone with the backing of The Slaves, the band that backed the slain reggae legendary Lucky Dube.
Of course he said by local standards the album is done and dusted with Ralph Ching’amba’s tricks. But he has even sought after more panache from the late Lucky Dube’s producer himself – Davie Seagal who together with our own Erik Paliani will do some more magic to satisfy any unappeasable music ear.
The Slaves will feature in three reggae songs Missing Lucky Dube (a tribute to Dube), Tell her I Love Her and Carry On. I have a difficult-to-please reggae ear and I can tell you that unless more is done on the Missing Lucky track, the likes of me won’t give it a thumb up; will give reasons when I will do an album review.
Then what is not present is perhaps that one track, the ‘Dub Reggae Poetry’ styled after the Mutabaruka or Linton Kwesi Johnson has not been released for sampling.
This time round, it is clear that the track will be ‘TIME’ going by tradition.
Now this is the trademark that Lucius impresses on his albums and with these particular tracks he tastes political, social and religious leadership.
Then, former President Bakili Muluzi used to take Lucius as just any other musician until these kinds of tracks pierced through his political cosset and made him feel uncomfortable and saw Lucius.
Mutharika felt the political heat that these Lucius tracks emitted but since him, unlike Muluzi is one who never wanted to endear his enemies, had no joy with Lucius Music and he banned it on MBC.
Believe you me; with ‘TIME’ it is now the turn of President Joyce Banda to have a feel of how Lucius keeps alive ‘dub-reggae poetry’ to say what the people want the presidents to hear.
Again this is a multi-genre album, and it goes against Lucius’ past declaration that he would go traditional and part ways with reggae.
He 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.
Lucius says that apart from reggae tracks that have made it into the album, he has also incorporated two house songs, two traditional songs, three slow numbers, gospel songs as well as urban songs.
He calls it an album for everybody – ‘a multi-genre album’ – which also has a hip-hop song TsekeTseke.
And I am none-the-wiser because when he said he wanted to remain traditional, the feeling is that he wanted to be put in the class of Mte. Wambali Mkandawire and Peter Mawanga.
But I guess I can speculate the reason. He wants to make more money.
He has once acknowledged his lack of presence on the international market.
Lucius has once confessed that he really does not understand the Malawian audience and their needs, because when the compose songs with international class they will not like it.
“So, what you do sometimes is to put yourself in their shoes,” Lucius has ever said this.
True to his words he has said top-notch artists like his brother, Paul, Ben Mankhamba, Wambali Mkandawire and Peter Mawanga do not make sales in Malawi.
Feedback:drummingpen@columnist.com
Month: Feb 2013
When Prof. Zungwala is Gregory Gondwe
If you recall, in 2009 when this column, The Drumming Pen, started appearing on these pages, it started with the name Gregory Gondwe before a forced metamorphosis led it to Prof. Zungwala.
I borrowed the name, Prof. Zungwala, from my late Great Grandfather who has now demanded it back and I am now left with me. From now on, I am reverting to Gregory Gondwe with sadness.
Sadness, because when I was writing under the pseudo, it was possible to critically look at poor musical work of artists without directly courting their wrath.
Now all that privileged status is gone and I am left alone without the protection of the Prof., now to pay for all the truth that will ruffle some feathers, once told.
There was a time, nevertheless, when I wrote something about the dwindling standards of Billy Kaunda music, when without warning I got him on the other end a phone call.
There was no phone number on the column then and I was surprised how he first, knew Prof. Zungwala was in fact Gregory Gondwe and secondly even got my number to chastise me for critiquing his work, somewhat using political powers as at the time he was deputy minister.
Reverting to the real name is not a big deal to others when you consider that I have been invited by Music Cross Roads as well as Musicians Association of Malawi to be a judge at their various music competitions. This means that there were numerous members of our community who had no problem connecting the two identities.
South African Based Malawi Musicians
Well, now that I am back to the beginning, let me try to look at the something I stumbled on, when I was browsing the internet sphere. It is called South Africa Based Malawian Artists Inc. (Sabma)
This Sabma thing when I enquired about it, I was told is an organisation of Malawian artists based in South Africa.
It was established on 14th October, 2012 by the disbanded Born Famous Hip Hop Duo, Mathews Lawnex Tembo and Danny Jones Simfukwe, Gospel Artist Clara Thom, & Promoter Samuel Mwale, with a point of uniting all artists who have been for long working individually.
To be honest with you, before this information I had never heard any such musical names ever existed anywhere else in the world.
But listening to the guys chatter their dream you are actually nearly believing what they are telling you that they want to act as a bridge linking artists back home here in Malawi with them that are in the land of gold. They told me that they now have quite number of artists, gospel as well secular ones, joining them in South Africa under a project they are calling ‘Together We Can’.
Naturally I wanted to learn how they would achieve anything at all and they told me that their approach to promoting artists and making them the centre of their focus is by organising live performances for artists within their organisation, in order to showcase their talents.
Sabma also wants to invite upcoming as well as established artists based in Malawi to perform alongside the South Africa based ones, to ensure an enhanced link between artists in Malawi and South Africa.
The will therefore also support the said artists financially, either in Album launches, studio solo projects or any other way.
At the moment Sabma says they have a live band set and a professional sound crew available to all Sabma artists at a free of charge.
And Sabma is aiming at having their own state of the art music studio to accommodate each and every artist. They tell me once they lay their hands on the desired equipment at the expiry of every 6 months, they will be coming to Malawi ‘to explore and promote hidden talents one at a time’.
They will be choosing artists right here in Malawi and take them to South Africa for recording deals before engaging them in promotional deals after the final production of their music.
So far Sabma claim that they once invited Symon & Kendall to perform live in Johannesburg alongside with Sabma artists last November.
If you ask me, this sounds too rosy to be true that one has only to demand more information before allowing themselves to be taken on board Sabma.
It is a musical project that sounds familiar. We have heard about such over the years and we are left licking the wounds as we have been left badly bruised with what has turned out to be mere lies or lost an arm and a foot when a supposedly free offer turned out to be an opening where we deposited our meagre savings only to disappear into thin air right in front of our noses.
We better be vigilant as this is neither the first time we have heard such promising news, nor will it be the last time. Our role is simply to be watchful and cautious.
Feedback:drummingpen@columnist.com Mobile: 0882233220
MULTICHOICE LAUNCHES MBC TV ON DStv
18 February 2013
Leading digital pay-tv operator, MultiChoice Africa, and the Malawi Broadcast Corporation (MBC) have further cemented their relationship in a deal that will see MBC TV being carried on the DStv platform in Malawi.
MBC TV will launch on DStv across the country on the 18th February 2013 at 11:00 CAT on the IS20 platform.
“MultiChoice is proud to bring MBC TV to our viewers in Malawi. This partnership expands our carriage of local content and enables us to deliver MBC TVs Free-to-Air channels to a much wider audience, while offering viewers a wider range of entertainment options with improved picture quality,” said Thabo Moabi, MultiChoice Africa Regional Director for Southern Africa.
“We also recognise the valuable contribution that the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has made in working with us to reach this important milestone, and thank them for their positive input into the process,” he added.
MBC TV is a 24-hour free-to-air general entertainment channel that broadcasts in English & Chichewa. The public broadcast channel, owned by the Malawian government, was launched in April 1999. It will now be available to the Premium, Compact+, Compact, Family, and Access bouquets, as well as all Combination bouquets and add-ons, on Channel 295.
MBC TV’s schedule includes news, religion, children’s programming, music, lifestyle, movies and general entertainment. The channel’s flagship shows include the likes of feature programme Mbiri, and music shows such as African Stars, Zapaphata and Music Splash.
Moabi continued: “We have come a long way since DStv was first launched as Malawi’s first terrestrial pay TV service in May 1998. Since shortly thereafter, we have worked to support MBC TV (then known as TVM), assisting with various requirements in the build-up to its own launch, including technical expertise, transmission equipment and installations.”
As the pioneers of terrestrial television broadcasting in the country, MultiChoice Malawi was instrumental in creating the platform for public awareness and education in a new industry, the emergence of various associated businesses, technical training and advice to people in a new sector, creating opportunity for formal and informal employment and establishing a television culture.
“A strong and mutually beneficial partnership has been built between MultiChoice Malawi and MBC TV, and we are delighted that our relationship will prosper with the inclusion of MBC TV on our DStv and GOtv bouquets. I would like to assure all our viewers that we will continue to deliver the best customer service as well as flexibility in pricing and choice,” concluded Moabi.
Commenting on the agreement, MBC TV Director of Engineering, Mr Joseph Chikagwa said: “We are confident that our partnership with MultiChoice will deliver excellent new benefits to both our companies as well as all our viewers. We believe the combination of MBC TV’s quality local content along with DStv’s technological expertise, reach and quality of signal offer a unique opportunity to meet the country’s information needs.”
For more information on DStv, log onto http://www.dstv.com
21 Years after COSOMA
After government enacted copyright issues into a law under the Copyright Act in 1989, the country had to wait for three more years before what the law said at the time which was to have The Copyright Society of Malawi (Cosoma) as a statutory body; it was indeed established in 1992 to implement some of what the act stipulated.
Its clear-cut role means it had dual responsibility as a copy rights watchdog for its seven rights holder association members, as well as advisor to the Government to ensure that Malawi fulfils its international obligations on copyrights and related rights.
Cosoma, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in Lilongwe last year, is quoted in other quarters as a multidisciplinary collective management organisation, mandated to administer collectively the rights of authors, composers, adaptors, performers, producers of sound recordings and broadcasting organisations.
The body’s major objective is to ensure that the rights of creative people in the literary, artistic, and musical fields are efficiently and effectively promoted.
Although the Registrar General administers the Patent and Trademarks Act, which protects industrial intellectual property rights in Malawi, as seen above Cosoma has also a very central role in this aspect.
At the moment, rules that govern the World Trade Organisation (WTO) allow Malawi because it is only a less developed country to delay full implementation of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) agreement until 2016.
Government through the Industry and Trade Ministry is working with Cosoma and the Registrar General to align relevant domestic legislation with the WTO TRIPs agreement with technical assistance from the Africa Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO).
My other task today is to yet again look at the relevance of Cosoma in promoting musical fields efficiently and effectively as its one of its core existence.
By the way Cosoma is also involved in recruitment and registration of members, monitoring use of works in broadcast programmes and public places, and distribution of royalties to artists
And you would think with royalties, musicians would be far fully fledged in their career as well as well being.
But we have examples of how easy it is to pirate the works of musicians in the country; we have examples of how unaccounted the collections and the distribution of royalties thereof are carried out by the body.
In March 2011, I wrote right here that Cosoma had partnered with Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) in a new initiative where they will be using an electronic system that will now be able to capture all musical works performed or played on the radio and therefore be able to collect what is due to musicians.
I indicated at the time that Cosoma was championing this initiative in collaboration with the Geneva based, UN specialised agency on intellectual property matters, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and that WIPO had chosen Malawi to pilot the initiative because of the commendable work COSOMA has been doing over the years.
But while the conduct of the body is not making sense I have started to think what former President Bingu wa Mutharika wanted to do in order to let the body create more opportunities for musicians and its other beneficiaries by privatising which I was against at the time was the right thing to do.
Imagine it was on December 29, 2009, when Lawrence Mbenjere set a new record when he became the first musician to cart home money in excess of over K2.5 million in royalties.
At that time it looked historical that since the establishment Cosoma the K2, 523, 459.16 that Mbenjere got was the biggest money it has dished out to a single musician.
And at the same event, Lucious Banda carted home K1, 094, 579.10, Thomas Chibade K712, 742.48. Joseph Nkasa who in 2003 got a million got K597, 942.27 this time round.
Now this is the fourth year and no word from the body on royalty disbursement is coming out.
There is a totally opaque wall enclosing activities of this body which supposed to serve the artists and docile that Malawians are, even our artists are not asking the right questions to Cosoma regarding what is due to them.
Then my argument about Mutharika over the privatisation of Cosoma was bordering on the fact that it would be against what the 1989 Copyright Act underscores.
The explanation from Cosoma then was that the hubbub all started because government was trying to protect its Malawi Broadcasting Corporation after it accumulated over K8 million in royalties for musicians and was failing to honour.
But when the figure even reached well above K50 million at one time MBC issued a cheque of a staggering K45 million which the body is yet what happened to it, or I missed the explanation.
I once argued that if institutions like MBC cannot pay musicians through ‘a fellow’ parastatal – Cosoma, would MBC then expected to pay a privately run COSOMA.
I think I was wrong. In Malawi there is always a laissez faire approach to what are our responsibilities. Because at Cosoma what I see lacking is business discipline and as an economist Bingu saw this malaise that’s why he wanted it privatised.
You know what, MBC even pays royalties for ‘Nyimbo za m’maboma’ and our Cosoma has never made an effort to trace who did the traditional music and give them something. They take all the money for what they call ‘administration’. But if you check the Copyright Act, is this, what is supposed to be done. Perhaps I am lazy and I don’t look with both eyes on these issues. Then seriously, help me.
Looking at the raw deal Cosoma has given the artists 21 years after it was formed; I think it has to go into the private hands seriously.
Feedback:drummingpen@columnist.com
Breaking the International jinx
Lucius Banda says he wants to break the international jinx by start selling his music to the international market, in earnest.
I don’t know where he is getting the courage to think that this time round it will work, considering that he made his first album in South Africa and even went back and forth to record one or single tracks in subsequent albums. This is also not the first time he has said this nor will it be the last time.
Recently, one of the known music producers in the country Percy Manyozo, who owns Pro-Pee Studios in Blantyre, while admitting that as music makers they are culpable for poor quality production, said musicians themselves share the blame.
Manyozo thinks there might be two ways to explain the poor quality music on the market.
One, the musicians might just not fit to be called musicians but resources and not talent allow them to utilise musical studios. The worst case scenario which is two is when the producers leave such a person to do the work on their own without giving them directions.
You might despise the young Manyozo but seriously take what he is saying with some respect, considering that he has produced artists like Maskal in his debut album Nthawi as well as Young Kay, Piksy, Armstrong, Dan Lufani, Code, Sam Simakweli, Third Eye, Lomwe, Tigris, Cyclone, Kumbu, Blasto and Black Missionaries.
This is not anything new in what he is saying; only that it is something that is coming latest on the scene.
I think Lucius seems to have been tired once more to always roll with the punches in as far as poor quality output is concerned and he decided to descend south again.
Lucius has at one time tried to make me walk a mile in his shoes when he invited me to Nyimbo Studios some two years ago to have a feel of what is involved when recording.
Now he has not only gone to South Africa to record but he has also collaborated with the South African outfit that used to back the fallen Lucky Dube, The Slaves. He is to record six songs at the studio that used to produce Dube. You cannot dispute such ambition if you consider the quality of Dube’s music.
I am not sure if a few times that he was in South Africa in the past exploits he ever tried to market his music on the international market. But this time round he says he intends – put it in his words – ‘spread through the world’ the music he is currently producing.
The local market has been tried and tested and I guess it has been found wanting. The Malawi musician, who is able, has decided to stick to the road, travelling from Nsanje to Chitipa from January to December just to become somebody.
It has, however, proven to be tricky when it comes to producing music and finding a buyer. If the musician will have such a buyer flocking to get his music then it is not through the selling points but the rundown rickety-computer infested, grunginess looking spots spread all over urban locations, with signs ‘Timabena music’ or ‘We burn music’.
This is where the artists are losing out and this is where the Musicians Association of Malawi has to come in. In the days ago I used to think that MAM cannot bring any beneficial returns to the musician because it was being led by people who either knew little or knew nothing about music.
But with the ushering into the top spot of Rev. Chimwemwe Mhango, who besides his theology studies also boasts advanced musical studies, I thought maybe it is time the Malawi musician enjoyed the much needed upliftment.
But what do we have? The same old song.
By now we surely should have had a few artists reading music. By now MAM should have invited the international experts to let the musicians undergo a kind of training where they would learn that after producing CD or DCD albums what marketing expertise should be employed.
By now the so called music labels should have been taught what is expected of them in terms of promotion and distribution for example.
Running music label is not about making one artist signing to become a mobile phone firm ambassador or joining hands with a bottle store that has outlets in other countries where your so called ‘artists under our label’ can go and get exploited.
No wonder Lucius’ intention to get the international market is to let his local producer Ralph Ching’amba, also in South Africa, to try to cut some distribution deals, for him, with companies there to that his music is spread globally.
Come one people! How long have we known Ching’amba? And how many artists has he so far produced? What is so special this time that he can do the job?
By the way, does MAM conduct need assessment for the music industry and its players? If it does, would anyone care to tell me what is required?
Feedback: drummingpen@columnist.com
The Blacks and their wobbling dream
The Blacks and their wobbling dream
The Black Missionaries, that band founded by Evison Matafale and with a short successful stint with Msamude Fumulani says now that it is about to release its 9th Kuimba album, it is destined to tour the world.
Read me right, ‘to tour the world’. And Ray Harawa the Manager for the Black Missionaries says the tour is not only in South Africa or Zambia, but in Europe and the US.
Last time the band managed to have an international tour was when its mentor, sponsor, manager and sometimes producer Foster Mijiga was alive. It went to Namibia and staged a number of performances. We have music videos that were made from the trip for all to see.
Tours of the nature as dreamt by The Blacks Manager Harawa are not cheap. I know that in Malawi bands, yes, most institutions operate without any strategic plan. The Blacks are without one, I can bet my head on a chopping board.
I have heard bands in this country, musicians here in Malawi, telling our gullible media all sorts wish-wash which is projected in form of a story. Some have even said they are planning to perform in Jamaica with their mediocre reggae and as a media we have taken it up and published their dreams as stories.
Worst still, we realised later that we had goofed and felt ashamed to even go back to the artists to find out what happened to their international tour.
Good example is the story that said the Blacks will go international with Kuimba 9, I wished the band’s manager was taken to task to state clearly how this is going to be achieved.
Do they have a steady sponsor elsewhere? Who is the sponsor? Do they know how the musical shows in the UK or US are done? What is their firm for the international tour? I really would not buy anything from Harawa if he says, he is the one organising the bookings and all that kind of stuff from Malawi.
The other thing to know is that The Black Missionaries is the whole band that has Anjilu and Chizondi Fumulani, Takudziwani and Paul Chokani, Peter Amidu, Yanjanani Chumbu and of course Anthony Makondetsa, who makes the show worthy its value.
If the band were to take to the international road, do they have logistical preparations to take care of all the band members and ensure that the audiences out there get optimum delivery from each band member.
Our musicians that have gone to the UK [and not the US] to perform have unfortunately performed before their cousins and concubines who are living there and not such venerated venues like the Sanctuary Music Arena for example. The reason is they don’t have what it takes. Well, I am not saying this, but so they think.
They have never had an opportunity where they could link up with events managers of international repute to project their dreams into reality.
We have never had our artist or the so called promoters doing their jobs right.
After all, if you check on the internet about this band this is what you will get:
“Black Missionaries are a popular reggae band from the African country of Malawi.
The Black Missionaries are primarily active in the city of Blantyre, and members reside in Chileka.
The band had originally five members, namely Evison Matafale, Peter Amidu, and three of the seven sons of Robert Fumulani: Musamude, Anjilu, and Chizondi.
Currently only three of the founding members are living, after the leader and founder Evison Matafale was killed whilst in police custody in 2001, on November 7, and the death of his successor Musamude on 17 September 2007.”
What it means is that with such internet write ups like the one on Wikipedia above, The Blacks have a name in the international spheres already and all they require is a manager who will muster enough courage to approach the people and the firms that matter in the advanced music industries and propose to them their intentions to perform there.
One thing which is very clear is that there is always ready audience in the UK and the US to sample musical stuff from Africa. It therefore becomes less problematic to strike deals for international shows.
This can be achieved if we reduce rhetorical dreams like the one told by Ray Harawa. Why am I calling it an empty dream is because it has no technical backing for its viability; where there is no such arrangement with anyone, nor is there any strategic plan in place that among other things has lined up what the Black Missionaries is set to do in 2013.
Until we get serious with our careers and until we shed off our cowardice to face the world, then we are doomed to live in shame and only perform to belligerent audience in bars across the country and die paupers…
Feedback: drummingpen@columnist.com
Flash disk Patrons
To sell 700 copies at a single musical show, in one night and at K1000 a copy is a feat that can translate into something else. Already, this means K700, 000 a night and this is excluding gate, plus hire collections.
Assuming that the artist is going to perform in all the 52 Saturdays in a year, he would make K36.4 million in sales of their music alone.
Well, forget about this figure; this can only happen in my fantasy world. But the point I am trying to drive home is, Malawian music followers are helping the industry to drown into a quagmire of retrogression.
I am home this week reading my daily newspapers and suddenly, an article in the entertainment page just balls out into my face screaming: “Skeffa Sells more outside”. It looked like my one time entry right here, where I pointed out that this artist is more respected in neighbouring Zambia than here.
Right on the mark Skeffa Chimoto mentions Zambia as a place where he was able to sell over 700 copies of his music to fans that had patronised his show.
This is unlike home here where we have all sorts of Jack and Jill running some rundown cafe with two or a single rickety computer that is leaking out musicians’ wealth of their lifetime.
For you to get the music all you need is a flash disk or a mobile phone that can take in some media and some K100 and you will get all the albums that Lucius Banda, for example, has come up with over the years.
These ‘flash disk patrons’ for one thing, are always in the forefront cursing the artists for lack of innovativeness, ingenuity and progress, forgetting that for artists to achieve such they require resources.
If we were willing as a proud country to have our musicians reach the dizzying height we surely were supposed to dig deep in our pockets and patronise the work of our artists so that with our buying of their products they can be fired n an ingenious sense and give us even better material that can stand the international test.
I hear OG. Issah that music distributor that started some six decades ago has stopped doing something he has only known best in his life because no soul, no longer goes before his counter to buy music. People have now found a way of getting music cheaply and without regard to its maker.
One might laugh off the decision by the distributor, but one thing you might not realise is that even patronage of music through flash disk would be snuffed if materials will no longer be forthcoming.
The musicians themselves feel the pinch that is why in every music video album our musicians produce these days they will make sure to warn against piracy.
Much as we might gloss over such warning in the conviction that there is no system in this country to track down music pirates in earnest, one thing which has to stand out clearly is the fact that we are helping in making our music industry achieve some mediocre status.
In the past I used to scream mad at radio stations, including the mother institution the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) which at one time equally behaved like a flash disk patron.
They would get the music through the flash disk but still fail to pay for royalties incurred because the music was being played to the public as it were.
The same was the case with entertainment joints that have our music as its heartbeat. If you remove the music it means you are getting rid of the pulsation and consequently killing it.
Owners of such places, just like owners of radio stations have realised that there can never be without music. Pity though they have this feeling that music just comes into flash disks without deeply thinking about sleepless nights that one spent to compose the lyrics and even the accompanying instrumentation to come up with the music that brings fame to their joints.
There is something terribly wrong with a culture of getting things on a silver platter. It feels the same way as the culture of getting free lunch. It kills the spirit of discernment where you have a special place for the maker of your favourite music.
Because the moment a patron has respect for the artist who makes their favourite music the only way to give back is when you buy – read me tight here – buying their compact discs of DVDs and not letting some virus infested computer empty hard earned music products into your flash disk at the expense of the maker of such music.
One other good thing is that we have our music selling at very affordable prices and there is no way anyone can claim that they can manage a music player but not the music that gives the gadget meaning for its existence.
Feedback: drummingpen@columnist.com
2012’s Best Artists
For one reason or the other, people, radio stations, entertainment writers, bar owners, music labels and music studios will have their own best acts in the year 2012. Drumming Pen has also its best artists of the season.
2012 Best Musician
Skeffa Chimoto never relented in his approach to court quality in his performance in 2012. In fact he continued from where he had stopped in 2011 and having decided not to release a new album in 2012, he released a DVD for an album that followed a chart bursting ‘Nabola Moyo’ which had proven to be a flop.
The DVD titled ‘Tisawanyoze’, which includes a track produced in Zambia called ‘Tikondane’ bear the same name of the album that flopped. This act alone did magic as it helped to popularise his music in Zambia and this album in Malawi.
His stage work remained focused earning himself a nickname ‘Jamming Machine’ from his band members and his fans.
Skeffa also received special recognition from the Zambian government which was swept off its feet by his talent. It then initiated project through their Police service to ensure that the General elections that led to the elevation of Opposition leader Michael Sata to the office of the President be done in a free and fair manner and without electoral violence.
Skeffa also remained professional in the year, unlike most of our musicians who are always topping the chart in all sorts of ugly things like boozing, womanising, and unnecessary controversy, Skeffa steered away from unnecessary tittle-tattle.
He is Drumming Pen’s best musician in 2012.
2012 Best Band
Leading the list of the best bands in 2012 is ‘The Real Sounds’ of Skeffa Chimoto, not surprisingly.
The band coordinated well with Skeffa; Evaristo Chimoto and Isaiah Foss on the bass guitar, Yohane Kachambo on the lead guitar, Mtunduwatha Thom and Luswayo Palinji on the keyboards as well as Thomas Phiri and Milward Chimoto as backing vocalists took the year by the horn and conquered all.
Wherever the band stepped in the year, they mesmerised patrons as they never gave out half-baked performances.
2012 Best Gospel Act
Without blinking I will say with a straight face that female-voiced Thoko Katimba carried the year. It is not only me who has this conclusion but even the internationally acclaimed Kora Awards organisers shared the same view and they nominated his track for one spot in their 2012 awards.
A year before, Thoko was always in the news for wrong reasons. He was rocked in debts scandals that led to his arrest in Mchinji. Then he was embroidered in allegations that he had obtained K470, 000 by false pretence from radio personality Fredrick Mkula.
But come 2012, Katimba emerged out strong and he has managed to erase all the bad adjectives that were used to describe him and replaced with better ones that have won him back the hearts of music lovers.
2012 Best Urban Act
There is always going to be an ongoing argument on whether it was Maskal or Piksy who was the best urban artist in 2012.
Going by what I saw during the Malawi – Zambia showdown towards the end of the year at Robins Park, I would not hesitate to settle for Piksy.
But when you look at the maturity approach between the two artists, Maskal is too much ahead in the lyrical mellowness. More so because he has transcended the generation barriers where more adults will spend time listening to Maskal than they would to Piksy whose appeal is generally to the youth. Where Maskal beat Piksy again is that even for the youth patrons, he also had a huge influence and following.
2012 Best Hidden Band
Ben Michael Mankhamba’s The Zig-Zaggers Band and The Jena Sisters is one music act that in the year almost went into hibernation.
Perhaps the explanation would be in the fact that the award-winning Mankhamba, who is a traditional leader in Lilongwe, went to Germany to raise funds for his goodwill cultural exploits and a film on unsafe motherhood and orphanhood in rural parts of Malawi.
Perhaps he sensed that he had left the year go past without making much impact that in November he did two things. The first thing, he was busy with his video camera, filming the Matafale Memorial Show in Chileka and secondly he released a single track ‘Kadona. Nevertheless, he disappeared together with his band from the scene.
But this did not offer local patrons the much needed stage works which the outfit has mastered and is way ahead of many that frequent dancing halls across the country.
It is my sincere hope that in the 2013, the best of the best shall prevail, and the drumming pen wishes you the best of success. Compliments of the new season!
Feedback: drummingpen@columnist.com
SENSATIONAL EMMY-AWARD WINNING SERIES AND MORE ON DStv
- Tune in to Gray’s anatomy
DStv continues to wow its audience with an array of must-watch Emmy Award-winning series that come ‘hot on the heels’ of American premieres! Spanning a variety of genres from dramas, comedies and horrors to reality shows, the series showcased on DStv are also some of the freshest and multiple Award-winners. The year has started on a high note for DStv viewers with the return of some of the most dramatic series that have bagged numerous Emmy Awards over the years. 
These are: • Grey’s Anatomy (M-Net Series Mondays at 19:30 CAT). This riveting series is about the doctors of Seattle Grace Hospital who deal with life-or-death consequences on a daily basis. It’s in one another that they find comfort, friendship and, at times, more than friendship. • Dexter (M-Net Tuesdays at 22:30 CAT). The dark drama that has become addictive viewing for DStv viewers and it stars Michael C Hall as the blood spatter expert by day and a serial killer who kills people he deems immoral and poisonous to society. • American Horror Story (M-Net Series, Thursdays at 23:30 CAT) for those who enjoy the supernatural and horror-filled kind of entertainment. Also currently featuring on the comedy side is the multi-Emmy award winning: • The Big Bang Theory (M-Net Wednesdays at 19:30 CAT), about Sheldon an awkward yet hilarious geek who finds it hard to be part of ‘normal society’. • The Big C (M-Net on Tuesdays at 22:30 CAT) about a reserved suburban wife and mother whose recent cancer diagnosis forces her to shake up her life and find hope, while managing her immature but well-meaning husband. • Modern Family (M-Net Series on Wednesdays at 19:30). The comedy looks at the different types of unconventional families and how they make it work well for them as ‘modern families’. There is also no shortage of Emmy award-winning reality shows on DStv to ensure that the audiences are part of the global television trends that have taken the world by storm. • American Idol (M-Net Saturdays at 18:00 CAT) returns to your screens for a spectacular 14th season with new judges. This incredible reality show which has produced multiple Award-winning artists has a new line-up of judges; chart topping artist Mariah Carey, multi-award-winning rapper Nicki Minaj and country crooner Keith Urban. • The Ellen DeGeneres Show, (M-Net Series weekdays at 17:30 CAT). This talk show is in its 10th season keeps bringing the most humorous celebrity interviews and more. The award winning actress, comedienne and host Ellen continues to make this the fun and engaging show that it is. There are also new and exciting series that look like possible contenders for the next Emmys. These include: • Elementary (M-Net Thursdays at 19:30 CAT), starring Jonny Lee Miller as detective Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson in a modern-day drama about a crime-solving duo that cracks the NYPD’s most impossible cases. • Baby Daddy (M-Net Series Saturdays at 18:30 CAT) a comedy about a young man who becomes a surprise dad when he comes home to find that his ex-girlfriend has left a baby girl on his doorstep. • XIII (M-Net Series Mondays at 22:30 CAT) an action thriller starring Stuart Townsend who plays a CIA agent who lost his memory. He must stay one step ahead of agents and agencies who would kill for what is buried deep in his memories. • The Following (M-Net Wednesdays at 21:30 CAT). This thriller is a cat-and-mouse chase between an FBI agent and a serial killer. The killer is trying to stay ahead of the law, even behind bars while the FBI works relentlessly to prove that he is not above the law. Keep tuning in to M-Net and M-Net Series to catch some of these award winners and DStv promises to continue bringing the freshest and latest series to you 24/7! For more information log on to http://www.dstv.com.
Microsoft Introduces the 4Afrika Initiative to Help Improve the Continent’s Global Competitiveness
Efforts focus on accelerating adoption of smart devices, empowering small and medium businesses, and up-leveling skills development to ignite African innovation for the Continent and for the world
REDMOND, WA, February 5, 2013/ — Microsoft Corporation (http://www.microsoft.com) today introduced the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative (http://microsoft4afrika.com/english), a new effort through which the company will actively engage in Africa’s economic development to improve its global competitiveness. By 2016, the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative plans to help place tens of millions of smart devices in the hands of African youth, bring 1 million African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) online, up-skill 100,000 members of Africa’s existing workforce, and help an additional 100,000 recent graduates develop skills for employability, 75 percent of which Microsoft will help place in jobs. (For web-based video content in English, with reporter commentary or without, please click here (http://microsoft4afrika.com/english). French, Arabic and Portuguese video content will be available later today)
Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/microsoft.jpg
“The world has recognized the promise of Africa, and Microsoft wants to invest in that promise. We want to empower African youth, entrepreneurs, developers and business and civic leaders to turn great ideas into a reality that can help their community, their country, the Continent, and beyond,” said Fernando de Sousa, General Manager, Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative. “The Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative is built on the dual beliefs that technology can accelerate growth for Africa, and Africa can also accelerate technology for the world.”
As a first critical step toward increasing the adoption of smart devices, Microsoft and Huawei are introducing the Huawei 4Afrika – a full functionality Windows Phone 8 which will come pre-loaded with select applications designed for Africa. The phone will initially be available in Angola, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa later this month.
The Huawei 4Afrika phone, which is the first in what will be a series of smart devices designed “4Afrika,” will be targeted toward university students, developers and first-time smart phone users to ensure they have affordable access to best-in-class technology to enable them to connect, collaborate, and access markets and opportunities online. (See related release (http://www.huaweidevice.com/worldwide/newsIndex.do?method=view&newsId=264&directoryId=5024&pageType=news) and blog (http://blogs.windows.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2013/02/04/huawei-unveils-a-new-windows-phone-for-africa.aspx).
To improve technology access, Microsoft also announced the deployment of a pilot project with the Kenyan Ministry of Information and Communications and Kenyan Internet Service Provider, Indigo Telecom Ltd., to deliver low-cost, high-speed, wireless broadband and create new opportunities for commerce, education, healthcare, and delivery of government services across Kenya. The deployment is called “Mawingu,” which is Kiswahili for cloud. It is the first deployment of solar-powered base stations together with TV white spaces, a technology partially developed by Microsoft Research, to deliver high-speed Internet access to areas currently lacking even basic electricity. Microsoft hopes to implement similar pilots in East and Southern Africa in the coming months to further explore the commercial feasibility of white space technologies. These pilots will be used to encourage other African countries to accelerate legislation that would enable this white spaces technology to deliver on the promise of universal access for the African Continent. (See related release (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/Press/2013/Feb13/02-04WhitespacesPR.aspx), blog (http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_on_the_issues/archive/2013/02/04/bringing-low-cost-off-the-grid-broadband-access-to-rural-kenya.aspx) and video (http://www.microsoft.com/africa/4afrika/white_spaces_project.aspx).
To help empower African SMEs, Microsoft announced a new online hub through which African SMEs will have access to free, relevant products and services from Microsoft and other partners. The hub will aggregate the available services which can help them expand their business locally, find new business opportunities outside their immediate geography, and help increase their overall competitiveness. As a “welcome offer,” Microsoft will provide free domain registration for the period of one year and free tools for qualifying SMEs interested in creating a professional web presence. The hub is expected to open in April initially in South Africa and Morocco and will expand to other African markets over time.
To accelerate capacity building and skills development, Microsoft has established the Afrika Academy, an education platform leveraging both online and offline learning tools, to help Africans develop both technical and business skills for entrepreneurship and improved employability. Training through the Afrika Academy will be made available starting in March at no cost to recent higher education graduates, government leaders, and the Microsoft partner community. One of the first offline training sessions will take place with Microsoft managed partners in Ivory Coast in the coming months, focusing on capacity building in both business and technical skills for our partners in francophone West Africa.
The 4Afrika Initiative will be tightly connected to Microsoft’s network of more than 10,000 existing partners in Africa today, a network it has built over 20 years of investing and operating in the Continent. The 4Afrika Initiative will leverage these existing partnerships and create new ones across both the public and private sectors to help advance common goals and to create value for Africans. Together with our partners, Microsoft has initiated various other efforts in recent months as part of the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative, including:
• AppFactory (South Africa (https://www.facebook.com/TheAppFactory?fref=ts) and Egypt): Microsoft is hiring 30 paid student interns to staff the AppFactory – centers to which the public can submit requests for Africa-relevant Windows applications (Windows 8 or Windows Phone). These requests are being crowd-sourced for voting, and the most popular ideas are assigned development resources to get the app built and launched into the Windows Store. Already, 73 Windows apps and 39 Windows Phone apps have been built by the AppFactory teams, and at full capacity, the teams plan to contribute around 90 new apps to the Windows Store per month.
• Nokia and Windows Phone user training (Kenya and Nigeria): Microsoft has established agreements with Safaricom in Kenya and Bharti Airtel in Nigeria to accelerate local adoption of the Nokia Lumia 510 and Nokia Lumia 620 Windows Phones. In these markets, more than 90 percent of phones sold are feature phones, so through these agreements, Microsoft is funding in-store training for consumers who purchase these Nokia Lumia models on how the data plan works and its benefits, to help make these smartphones better understood and therefore more desirable for consumers.
• Female empowerment portal (North Africa): This portal targeted at North African women will launch in March as an offshoot of the MasrWorks (http://masrworks.com/Intro/Welcome.aspx) IT skills portal. It is designed to empower young women to play a leadership role in their communities, build their skills and self-esteem and introduce new models for self-employment. It will provide IT skills training and also softer skills training on topics including leadership, self-confidence and interviewing, as well as the mentorship needed to build a long-term career in technology. The mentorship will be provided via a sustained engagement between Microsoft, our partners, a local NGO, and the beneficiaries to support them in career building and to plan their role in society as female leaders.
“We believe there has never been a better time to invest in Africa and that access to technology — particularly cloud services and smart devices — can and will serve as a great accelerator for African competitiveness,” said Jean-Philippe Courtois, President of Microsoft International. “The launch of Windows 8 and many other new products in the coming months represent a New Era for Microsoft Corporation, which we believe will redefine the technology industry globally. These additional investments under the 4Afrika banner will help define our company’s New Era in Africa.”
Simultaneous launch events to kick off this New Era in Africa are being held today in five locations spanning the Continent: Cairo, Egypt; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Lagos, Nigeria; Nairobi, Kenya; and Johannesburg, South Africa. In all locations except for Egypt, Microsoft is also hosting separate developer workshops in the coming weeks to facilitate and accelerate the development of new and innovative Windows applications for Africa, by Africans.
For more information, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/4Afrika.
Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of Microsoft Corporation.
Note to broadcast media: We’ve also created some video, audio and written materials that will assist you with bringing this story to your audience. Currently we have materials available in English (http://microsoft4afrika.com/english) – and later today we’ll have similar content (b-roll, scripts, complete news packages) available in Arabic, French and Portuguese.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
For more information, press only:
Rapid Response Team, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, (503) 443-7070, rrt@waggeneredstrom.com
Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.
SOURCE
Microsoft Corporation
Safe Sender Instructions
GREGORY GONDWE 
