Zamrock!!! any memories?? The year was December 1970. James Brown came to the Southern African country of Zambia. He performed in the Capital city of Lusaka and the Dag Hammarskjold Stadium in Ndola on the Copper belt. What followed the next three years was incredible. Zambia was gripped by the James Brown mania. Students who had spent school holidays in the city took to rural boarding schools the James Brown and his Famous Flames dance. People were wearing tailor made James Brown suits. Many buttons and records were sold. The radio stations were buzzing with his music. James Brown, the great black American singer and stage performer, commanded great respect, awe, and enthusiasm among millions in America, Africa, and the rest of the world. This was also the time when the black Civil Rights movement was at its peak in the USA and Africans were gaining independence from European colonialism. (by Mulenga Tembo, hungerforculture/?p=382). still have a cassette recording of James Browns performance in Zambia, somewhere. i was not even a teens in the late 70s. but i do remember the bell-bottom trousers, big leather belts, afros with afro picks, shirt unbuttoned three buttons down, sugar daddies in mercedes, belmonts or peugeots around UNZA, the taboo min-shirts, pumps, platform shoes, the hello comrade and the bouncy slow walk around campuses, Katondo and Cha Cha Cha roads. Paul Ngozi dreadlocked, chain smoking, driving around city center in his Datsun 210 Coupe, lit up like a Christmas tree, and yes, tooting his horn. everyone on high alarm. but Zamrock musicians offered an escape from fear and sang more of the real day to day living, in tense Zambia. Zamrock of the 1970s. was defined as a combination of Jimi Hendrixs psychedelic rock and James Browns funk. Rikki Ililonga & Musi-O-Tunya are generally credited as the creators of this music genre. Other notable artists include WITCH,[1] The Peace, Amanaz, Chrissy Zebby Tembo, Paul Ngozi and his Ngozi Family among others.[2] Zamrocks roots can be traced back to the 1950s with northern singers from the Copperbelt Province such as Stephen Tsotsi Kasumali, William Mapulanga and John Lushi. (Wiki) Some of our famed band members are still alive. Getting bye, eking some income, yet longing to bring our music back. At least it was origin and real. No computer synthesizing. Amplifers yes and a must!!!! Im in touch with Larry Maluma living in Oz.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 17:24:44 +0000
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