Kidd to tour Malawi October

Denmark-based Malawian musician Kidd Mkandawire, who made headlines in the 1980s with Love Aquarius Band, will tour Malawi next month.

The musician also cut his teeth with Kalimba Band in 1980s, when the group released Make Friends With the World, which brought them worldwide recognition.

The album contained the smash hit, Sometimes I Wonder.

Kidd, a songwriter, singer, percussionist and drummer left Kalimba in 1986 to join Love Aquarius where he linked up with Wellington Mkukupha.

Love Aquarius was then a resident band at Hotel Chisakalime in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre.

Kidd eventually left Malawi more than 20 years ago and now plays with a Danish band known as Kidd and The First People. The band was named after the first musicians he met two months after settling in Denmark.

And now Kidd will be back in Malawi on a countrywide tour with the current Kalimba Band.

“A series of exciting concerts have been organised by the band that launched his musical career, Kalimba, in a bid to rekindle memories of the good old Sometimes I Wonder days and also to promote Kidd’s latest album, Mafumbo,” said Vitta Chirwa, who is Kalimba Band leader.

“Kidd, who last time wowed packed venues, and caused much sensation with his original hits such as Mwana Muweme, will aim to strike a good balance of both old and new hits.

“Five huge concerts have been lined up in all the major cities in Malawi such as Lilongwe, Blantyre and Mzuzu. In these places, people will get a chance to watch Kidd in action, and can look forward to having great fun. It’s going to be a ‘big stage’ tour, featuring a big star, using huge state-of- the-art sound equipment,” he boasted.

Kidd opens his one week tour of Malawi with a show at Kaning’ina Room of Sunbird Mzuzu on October 13 before a family show at the Sunbird Mzuzu’s Boma Park the following afternoon.

On October 19 2012, he will be at Sunbird Mount Soche for a dinner and dance and as he concludes his tour on October 20, he will be at Sunbird Capital for a dinner and dance with a show the following afternoon at Capital City Motel’s Jazz Gardens.

“After a successful trip in South Africa in July this year, I made a promise that Malawi should now brace for more excitement in October.

“And here I am coming back to my country, to simply remind the fans of my Kalimba days. While in Joburg, to prepare for the Malawi tour, I worked on a new album called Mafumbo with an old Kalimba friend, Stan Phiri,” said Mkandawire in an interview.

“I will perform most of the songs from the new album. I last toured Malawi in 2000, but of course, I have visited the country privately in four years.  I promise Malawian fans a typical Kidd Mkandawire with live magical shows, music, dance, big fun and party, party and party,” he said.

But having lived in Denmark for almost 18 years, what has Kidd been up to?

“I have a band called the First People – named after the first musicians I met two months after settling in Denmark. I have been playing gigs most of the time. I am also lecturing in cultural dance, drums and music,” he said.

“Of course I miss Kalimba but I thank God for the opportunity I had with the band. It was a great band, but unfortunately we disbanded. We had great artists like Francis Chintembo, Bright Nkhata and Overton Chimombo,” Mkandawire said.

According to him, Kalimba disbanded due to various reasons, one of which was that some members wanted to test the waters in other
bands.