By Sam Banda Jnr:
Veteran musician Patrick Simakweli on Thursday returned to the Sounds of Malawi Acoustic Session stage at Jacaranda Cultural Centre (JCC) in Blantyre where he entertained the audience with local, blues and jazz genres.
The artist has had a number of stints at Sounds of Malawi Acoustic Session in the past and was back for another performance.
With his three-member band which included fellow veteran Francis Chintembo, a bassist who used to star for Kalimba Band, Simakweli dished out a number of songs and some covers.
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The singer and guitarist, who in 2022 celebrated his golden jubilee in music in the country, also took time out to remind people of his book titled Malawian Musicians: A Look at an Eventful History, Past and Present.
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“I decided to write a book after undertaking research. This book tells the history of Malawi music and it is all about documenting our work for the current and future generation,” Simakweli said.
He called on people to purchase the book on Amazon, saying, by buying it; they will also be contributing to the growth of the country’s economy.
“I have lived music all my life and it is what brings me my bread and butter. It is unfortunate that the country does not take much interest in arts and culture; this trend for sure needs to change,” Simakweli said.
He bemoaned the absence of the National Arts and Heritage Council, which he indicated is crucial in sanitising the industry and growing it.
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Hosted by ethno-musician Waliko Makhala, Simakweli also took time out to tell his music story during a question- and-answer session.
“In the past years, we had so many resident bands but now we only have a few bands on the ground,” he said.
Simakweli, who has in the past years performed with several bands and artists including Mtebeti Wambali Mkandawire in Sounds Pentagon, has also revived Mitambo Band.
Mitambo Band was vibrant in the past years before it went silent.
