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Madalitso band

Banjo Music (Malawi)

Team

Yosefe Kalekeni
Banjo from Malawi, drum, voice
Yobu Malingwa
Babatone, voice

photo Neil Nayar

Contact

Thibault Gléréan
tib@la-curieuse.com
+33 (0)6 60 68 26 08

Credit

Selection Womex 2020

Follow them !

Available in France during July and August 2023

Madalitso band are a two man musical army from Malawi. Described as ‘Uplifting and Vibrant’ by the BBC, they get a crowd to their feet and big smiling. Their first album was produced by Bongo Joe records and the band has already performed at Womex 2020, Womad 2019, Roskilde 2018, Sauti Za Busara 2017 and many more.

They were discovered busking outside a shopping centre in 2009. Their vibrant playing, strong vocals and traditional style caught the attention of Emanuel Kamwenje who recorded their first album the same year.

The band plays the babatone, a home-made instrument which is very popular in Malawi and the four-string guitar, creating the traditional Malawi banjo sound. The babatone player works on the side as a “gardener” and the guitar player works as a “watchman” as required. Around Malawi they are revered as musical prophets.

2017 saw their first time to perform outside the country when they were invited to play two shows at Sauti Za Busara in Zanzibar. They caught the attention of the BBC who featured them on the Global beats program, and were a big hit at the festival, bringing the whole audience to their feet and full of smiles.

Now they’re about to hit the road again with HIFA in Zimbabwe followed by a European tour in the summer through Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, France, and Sweden.

WOMEX 20 – Madalitso Band & Interview with Jon Kertzer

FRENCH PRESS

Playlist – France Inter – juin 2022
https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/podcasts/dans-la-playlist-de-france-inter/dans-la-playlist-de-france-inter-du-jeudi-09-juin-2022-4829607

Last dates
oct. 15 2023

The Barn at Rose – Hill Berryville (USA / VA)

oct. 07 2023

Joshua Tree Music Festival – Joshua Tree (USA / CA)

oct. 06 2023

House Concert – Los Angeles (USA / CA)

oct. 01 2023

Chicago World Music Festival – Chicago (USA / IL)

sept. 29-30 2023

Lotus Festival – Bloomington (USA / IN)

Videos

Ndalakwanji 2020
Small documentary 2020
Live at Roskilde festival - 2018
Festival de la Cité (CH) 2018
Vina Vina Malawi 2020
BBC Live 2018

Albums

Wasalala

2019

Madalitso Band were discovered busking outside a shopping centre in 2009. Their vibrant playing, strong vocals and traditional style caught the attention of Emanuel Kamwenje who recorded their first album the same year.

The band plays the babatone, a home-made instrument which is very popular in Malawi and the four-string guitar, creating the traditional Malawi banjo sound. The babatone player works on the side as a “gardener” and the guitar player works as a “watchman” as required. Around Malawi they are revered as musical prophets.

Wasalala

1. Vina Vina Malawi
2. Naphiri
3. Mita
4. ChikondiCholawa
5. Nambewe
6. Wasalala
7. MoyoWaLelo
8. Chinakulaka

Listen & order the album

Credits

Label les Disques Bongo Joe
Distribution L’Autre Distribution

Recorded by Erik Paliani
Mixed by Jasper Geluk
Mastering Tim Stollenwerk
Artwork Felix Vincent
Artistic Supervision Vincent Bertholet & Cyril Yeterian

Musakayike

2022

Released on June 17, 2022.

“Intuitive, authentic, and full of ruthless rhythms, Madalitso will make you clap, dance, smile, and rethink everything you thought you knew about African sound and instrumentation. Musakayike, meaning ‘don’t doubt us’, is the second international release from Madalitso Band under Bongo Joe Records. It’s the duo shining and enjoying every minute of their time in the studio performing their upbeat music with joyful vocals, four-string guitar, babatoni and cow-skin kick drum. The experience they’ve had of performing around festival stages and recording in different studios shows in this new album which remains raw, just like Wasalala, but has something new in it. Songs like ‘Chikondi Sichiona Nkhope’ – ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ show they’re still churning out beautiful and meaningful lyrics, and it’s a very happy thing to finally have Jingo Janga on an album, since it has been the regular song played for an encore.”

All songs composed by Yobu Maligwa and Yosefe Kalekeni.
Bababtone and Lead Vocals – Yobu Maligwa
Guitar, Drum and Backing Vocals – Yosefe Kalekeni
Lead Vox on Wandiputa Dala – Yosefe Kalekeni

Lyrics translated by Isaac Mafuel and Maloto Chimkombero.
Photos by Ahmed Abadu White and Kwanjana Kanyanda of Satellite Entertainment.

Many thanks to Emmanuel Kamwenje for taking us from the streets to the studio, to Neil Nayar for finding us our first chance outside Malawi. Thanks to Sauti Za Busara for taking a chance on an unknown band, to TiB Gléréan for getting us touring regularly in Europe and to Bongo Joe Records for being such a cool and fun label to work with.
Thanks to Alia Prod, Peter Hvalkov, Mael Saletes, Vincent Bertholet, Rita Ray, Carine Tredgold, Manuel Bagoro, Brian Keigher, and all the other festivals, radio shows, newspapers who’ve supported the band.
And biggest thanks of all to the wonderful people of the world for bringing your dancing shoes, smiles and good vibes to our shows or in your living rooms.
Enjoy the music!

Musakayike

1. Ali Ndi Vuto
2. Chikondi Sichiona Nkhope
3. Diya
4. Mwandikumbutsa
5. Musakayike
6. Wandiputa Dala
7. Mwaza
8. Jingo Janga

listen and order the album

Credits

Produced by Neil Nayar & Cyril Yeterian
Recorded by Neil Nayar at Pa Mwala, Lilongwe
Mixed by Benoit “Gerard” Erard at Ritmo Studio
Mastered by Tim Stollenwerk at Stereophonics
Cover artwork by Felix Vincent