Zambia

Well, I’m not really venturing outside my comfort zone on this one. The first music that really hipped me to Africa sounds was the great 70s Zamrock. Zamrock emerged in 1970s Zambia out of the dual influence of Jimi Hendrix's acid guitar & James Brown's funk. I still play it regularly & still really groove to it. The Witch recently re-issued all their back catalog so I’ll stick with the other mainstays: Amanaz; Ngozi Family; & The Blackfoot.

The blurb that can be found everywhere describing the record Africa by Zambian group Amanaz claims, "goes in the same direction as Blo, Witch, & Question Mark, but this album is way cooler & stoned with amazing fuzz guitar all over which sounds like an African version of early Cream."

I've listened to Blo's first album, Be Nice to the People by Question Mark, & most everything by Witch & I'd have to say I'm in total agreement. This is some of the best Zamrock I've listened to. It never really sounds dated to me.

The band was formed in 1973 by ex-members of Klasters, Black Souls, MacBeth, & Wrong Number. The quintet was made up of: Keith Kabwe - vocals, maracas, & tambourine (from Klasters); John Kanyepa – vocals, lead & rhythm guitars (from the Black Souls); Isaac Mpofu – vocals, lead, & rhythm guitars (from the Wrong Number); Jerry Mausala – vocals & bass guitar (from MacBeth); & Watson Lungu – vocals & drums (from MacBeth). A bunch of stoned cats weaned on pirate radio record an album of late 60s style psyche in 1975 in Kitwe, in northern Zambia. Very chilled out music, fuzz guitar with delicate Zambian drums & African touches that set it off from most psych stuff, moving from a semi-Africanized Loaded Velvets feel to a stripped down Iron Butterfly, even hinting at early Funkadelic, with Ginger Baker drumming, & a ramshackle underground sound & feel...raw, organic, & beautiful. Nine of the twelve songs are sung in English, the other three are in the Bantu language Bemba.

Amanaz – Africa, Shadoks Music reissue SHADOKS 097, 2008.

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Side A –

Amanaz

I am Very Far

Sunday Morning

Khala My Friend

History of Man

Nsunka Lwendo

Side B –

Africa

Green Apple

Making the Scene

Easy Street

Big Enough

Kale

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Another 70s Zambia rock group, the Blackfoot band was the flagship band for Ndola Music Parlour when live band music took the country by the storm. This doesn’t have as much fuzz guitar as the Ngozi Family or as much prog stylings as Witch, but it is solid & definitely Zamrock. This record has some traces of traditional Zambian drumming & guitar work, but comes off like an Afropop Creedence.

 The Blackfoot – The Footsteps, 1975. 

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Side A –

The Foot Steps
When I Needed You
Send Me the Flowers
Washinga Here?
Mwe Bafyashi

Side B -
Jefferson
Pumpa Joe
Lonely Highway
Sounds in My Sleep
Kanyamawodi

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Paul Dobson Nyirongo (Paul Ngozi)  was born in 1949. The first band he helped form was called the Scorpions. When that band called it quits, he joined Mosi Oa Tunya who were residing in Nairobi, Kenya. After he quit Mosi oa Tunya after only three months, Paul came back to Zambia to form the Ngozi Family Band. By this time (1975) he had earned the name ‘Ngozi’ meaning danger for his spectacular stage antics, that included playing the guitar with his teeth & because each time he took to the stage, people went crazy & there was chaos.

He immediately signaled his presence on the local scene with the siren filled hit single, “I Have Been Looking for You” b/w “We Were not Told”. The band was Paul on lead guitar, Billy Sithenge on bass (later replaced by Tommy Mwale), & Chrissy Zebby Tembo on drums). They took the Zambian music scene by storm. Ngozi Family followed up their single with the album, Day of Judgement under the Zambia Music Palour label.

Then came 45,000 Volts recorded at Nairobi’s Sapra Studios in 1977.  These albums earned Paul recognition as a insightful social commentator. The themes of his music recounted society’s own ups & downs. The lyrics are witty & poignant, they perfectly reflect the life of 1970s Zambians.The guitar is razor-sharp here. They have an almost Phil Lynott/Thin Lizzy sort of compression which sounds great next to the harder rhythms of the bass & drums. The album is a mix of English & Zambian lyrics.

Paul died in November 1989 after a short illness.

Track B4 was not included on the original 1977 issue. It is taken from an A.I.T Records (Kenya) 7" release with catalog number "Ngozi-5 ZMPC-41".

 Ngozi Family - 45,00 Volts, Nosmokerecords re-issue NS006LP, 2009. 

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Side A –

Everything is Over

Nizaka Panga Ngozi

I Will Be with You

Atate

You Don’t Love Me

Side B –

Night of Fear

Hold On

Timwenge Tabene Tabene

Chisoni Kwantzu Azimbabwe

Chenjelani

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Not going to debate the name of this. You can Google around if you want to hear all about it. Ngozi Family usually recorded under that name or Paul &… Whatever. This time (at least on this re-issue) drummer Chrissy Zebby Tembo gets top billing. He is front & center. Paul Ngozi gets to relax & noodle around in the background with Tommy Mwale on bass. The worst thing about this is not the debate over the name. The worst thing is the primitive recording quality, particularly on the vocal tracks. It all comes off kinda lo-fi garage nugget style. That being said, it is still one hell of an album. The style is as original as any Ngozi Family output, with Paul’s great fuzz guitars. In fact the instrumental parts have a strong sound, hard rock/garage rock with a progressive touch.

The back of the LP says : "Chrissy Zebby Tembo was born in Chingola 27 years ago. He started his musical career as a drummer for the Scorpions, who began three years before and are now the Ngozi family. And now Chrissy has recorded this solo album…"

A Chris Edition Production.

 Chrissy Zebby Tembo – My Ancestors, Chris Edition CL 002. 

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Side A –

My Ancestors

Trouble Maker

Lonely Night

Coffin Maker

Oh Yeh Yeh

Side B –

Fisherman

I’ve Been Losing

Feeling Good

Gone Forever

Enjoy,

NØ