Nashil Pichen Kazembe

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Nashil Pichen Kazembe
Born
Pichen Kazembe

1932
Died1991
OccupationMusician

Nashil Pichen Kazembe (1932–1991) was a Zambian musician from Luapula Province of Zambia who became an African music star in the 1970s. He spent a long time in Nairobi, Kenya, where he collaborated with fellow Zambia emigre Peter 'Tsotsi' Juma who was from Mbala in Northern Province on the Zambia-Tanzania border and Benson Simbeye.[1]

Early life and career

Kazembe was born in Chief Nsama’s area close to the Congolese border in Kaputa District, Luapula Province in 1932 and a relative of the Mwata Kazembe kingship of the Lunda kingdom. He taught himself how to play homemade banjos and later, a guitar and traversed Congo and Tanzania many times.[2]

In 1953 Kazembe got a job in South Africa to work in the mines, though he returned to Zambia a year later to become a business executive. During his time in South Africa, he collaborated with local musicians and formed a band called the "Bantu Negroes", which later disbanded after Kazembe returned to Zambia.

Music career

Band career

Nashil Pichen Kazembe (far left)

As members of 'Eagles Lupopo Band' they sang 'patriotic songs' praising President Kenneth Kaunda and commenting on various social issues. The Eagles Lupopo toured Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia more frequently and in 1975, during a show at Lusaka’s Woodlands Stadium, the stage was overrun by enthusiastic fans forcing the organisers to abruptly halt the show. Fans refused to accept the decision to stop the show and became unruly, causing a riot in which all the band’s equipment was completely destroyed.

In 1976, Kazembe came up with the "Ochestra Super Mazembe" band, co-opting famous Congolese musicians such as Didos Mutonkole and released popular songs like Mushosho, which also became a popular dance in Kenya. Other songs were Mwana Mazembe, Longwa, Gina and Shauri Yako. The band also had in its rank and file, the late Lovy Longomba, who was the father of Congolese star, Awilo Longomba.[2]

Solo career

Nashil Pichen ended his career as a solo artiste after returning from Kenya to Lusaka in 1979. He sometimes worked as a producer for local bands and at one time, tutored with the Distro Kuomboka Band, which is now resident at Mukuba Hotel in Ndola.

He went on to release two albums, A Phiri Anabwera and Hot Hits of Nashil Pitchen Kazembe and had a chain of singles which included Naleli Libota, Nazangi Mwana, Merci Imbwembwe Yandi, Kasongo, Naweli Nini (swahili), Ichi tamfya Abaume (echo nshishibe), Unkhalamba simatenda, Ndelwala Love, Peace Work, Mpandileko Akabwanga, Chuma Chivuta, Ni Mwamuna Wanga Mwana, Lucia, Ba shi Maggie and Bashi Chanda.

His 1974 hit "A Phiri Anabwera" was the first single to sell more than 50,000 units in Zambia. It was a song about Mr Phiri - a long lost migrant worker who returns home from the city empty handed only to find that no one in his village remembers him. Pichen had earlier scored a string of hits with his Super Mazembe band singing in Zambian, Congolese and Kenyan languages. Although he returned to Zambia and recorded a number of albums there, Kenya knows him more for his Nairobi hits. It was in Kenya that he developed his unique style of combining Zambian traditional music with Congolese, Kenyan and Southern African urban rhythms like soukous, benga music and kwela. He was also very popular in Zimbabwe.

During his visit to Kitwe’s Mindolo Mine Township on the Copperbelt, he interacted with miners and this culminated into the release of a hit song, "Abalumendo Ba Ku Mindolo" (Men of Mindolo), which angered them as it exposed and criticised their drinking habits, including begging and scrounging for a local brew called Kangala or Ikanga as it was better known during weekends, instead of looking for employment. The miners did not take this kindly and declared Mindolo, a no go area for Pichen as they threatened to manhandle and beat him up.[2]

Kazembe spared no one in terms of gender in his songs such as, Chilyelyelye Uleke (Uletekanya mune, ukalya nechakukulya), which attacks gluttons who might end up consuming poisonous food.

Overwhelmingly adored by Zam-rhumba followers, especially in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Congo, Kenya and Uganda, Kazembe’s sounds were unique and had a touch of Congolese and East African culture.

Identity and origin

Because of his fame in East Africa, most believed that Kazembe was actually Kenyan. To this date, he is known more among Kenyans than Zambias because he had settled there as early as 1958. On the other hand, because of his style of music and the way he sometimes dressed, others believed he was Congolese. A lot of his Zambian-Rhumba songs competed fiercely with original Congolese musicians such as, John Bokelo, Baba Gasto Ilunga, Dr Nico and many others.[2]

Awards and honours

In 1984, Kazembe was voted Best Solo Artiste of the Year in the Zambia Daily Mail Music Polls.[3]

In 1986, first republican president Kenneth Kaunda bestowed on him the honorary Doctorate of Music and he became known as Dr Nashil Pitchen Kazembe.

Personal life

Kazembe also spent some time in Congo, Uganda and finally settled in Kenya in 1958. There he ran a fleet of taxis and owned a farm. He married a Kikuyu woman, Josephine, with whom he had 12 children. While in Mombasa, Kenya, Kazembe became a Muslim and adopted the name "Nashil".[2]

Death

His death in 1991 shocked fans and news ripped through the whole of Southern, Central and East Africa, with Kenya dedicating most of the musical radio shows to him.[2]

Popular culture

  • In 2015, singer Pilato released a song titled "A Lungu Anabwela", a parody of Kazembe’s 1970s hit "A Phiri Anabwela". The controversial song 'defamed' President Edgar Lungu. Pilato was later questioned and arrested.[4]

See also

References

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