Peter Mawanga travels with five member band to US
Musician Peter Mawanga will leave the country for the United States of America on October 21 where he will perform with his band which includes singer and guitarist Faith Mussa.
This will be the first time for Mawanga to travel to US with his own band.
“This time around I am travelling with a band so we are ready to give people in the US a good taste of Malawi music. We are excited and we are ready to fly the country’s flag. It’s good to get such opportunities because as artists we need exposure,” he said.
Mawanga famed for the songs such as ‘Zanga Zozama,’ and ‘Amakhala ku Blantyre,’ said the band is made up of him on lead vocals, Nylon guitar and Sansi, Mussa on jazz guitar and talking drum and vocals, Marlyn Chakwera on Chisekese and vocals, Alfred Sitolo Nkhoma on bass guitar, Nemba and vocals and Omex Chimpeni (from the Mighty POV) on Mangolongondo, Mbalule and drums.
“As I said this is the first time my band The Amaravi Movement will be performing with me in the US. During my Previous US Shows I was accompanied by American musicians,” he said.
Mawanga, Mussa, Chakwera and Chimpeni two weeks ago also performed together at the Lake of Stars Festival at Sunbird Nkopola in Mangochi as Takula Band.
This is a band that was started following the digitisation of old music at Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and the band which also went on to perform in Norway is on the verge of releasing an album to the songs originally done by other local musicians.
However in the US they will be performing as a different group.
According to Mawanga who has performed in the US several times including launching an album titled Stories of Aids with Andrew Magill, said the tour has been organised by Myriad artists.
“We will perform at University of Missouri at Blanche M Touhill Performing Arts Centre in St Louis on 24 October 24 ,Washington State University at Pullman Jones Theatre on October 29 and Mt Vernon at Mclntyre Hall in Washington State on October 30,” he said.
Mawanga said they will also feature at a Sunday church service at one of the churches in Seattle on November 1 before their last show in Washington DC.
He said they are expected back home second week of November.
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