By FELIX NYAMBE
DURING the last two decades, most music critics and bookmakers had considered reggae outfit Burning Youth as the best thing to have come out of Zambia.
If their one-day bash at the Dapes Complex in Lusaka’s Kaunda Square last Saturday is anything to go by, then five of the band’s deceased members, who include their inspirational band leader Michael Kumwenda, must be smiling in their graves.
At their peak, with Kumwenda on lead vocals, Fred Banda (keyboards), Jackie and his brother Allan (on bass and lead, respectively), Sam Zulu (drums) and Dan Mwenda (rhythm), every reggae worshipper testified to the beauty of this awesomely talented group.
Even when they were joined by songbirds Leya Shawa and Charity Chifita later in the years, the reggae outfit did not relent as it emerged as one of the finest reggae outfits of their generation.
Burning Youth, who later toured the width and breadth of southern Africa before Oxford lured them to the United Kingdom, boasted of some of the finest reggae tunes to have come out of Zambia since the Maoma of the 70s and 80s.
Their songs such as Ndise Ba Modzi, Wakalila, Ndine Mwana, Chiuta, Myambo Zathu, Efyo Iya and Bana Chimbusa received some massive acclaim on the local music scene.
And when they released Sebenzesani Makondom (use condoms), the band went on a campaign trail to sensitise their fellow youths on the use of condoms as protection against unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. That was the Burning Youth of the 80s through to the 2000s.
But sadly, after the untimely deaths of Kumwenda, Allan, Mwenda, Chifita and Banda, the band has “refused” to burn out and going by their new signings, Burning Youth is truly still burning!
With drummer Banda now at Air Power Band, Jackie has since recruited his own son, Zikale on drums, his nephew Given (Allan’s son) on the keyboard, Jeff Mulenga and Gift Paccino doing vocals to form “Burning Youth 2”.
The band also raved into some cover renditions of such reggae legends as Bob Marley and Lucky Dube, before giving their skanking crowd a dose of some rhumba fiesta from the likes of Fally Ipupa.
Meanwhile, Kuza (the African Bull) launches his debut album at Brixton Nightclub in Mongu on May 18.
Several Mongu-based artistes, including Radico, Sim B, Tym Brothers, Jumasi and Lorie Lopez, are all expected to perform during the one-day bash, which is being supported by Radio Lyambai, Radio Liseli and M Entertainment.
446 total views, 6 views today
