Tiwonge, the unique coach
Good people, Malawian music has a special coach and his students call him Mourinho.
The namesake of Chelsea Football Club manager is Tiwonge Hango, the unsung hero behind the rebirth of Malawian beat happening in Karonga.
His magic was an undoubted winner at Chibanja Tavern where eight bands gathered for Chibuku Road to Fame finals in the North on Saturday. His lab is Agnes Kim Chungja’s Lusubilo Music Centre which gifted the nation 2012 Chibuku champions—Lusubiro Band.
His successful new thing is Lusubilo’s nursery, Lusekero, whose costume, stage work, originality, handling of instruments, uniformity and sound management seemed
to confirm that the past is gone and the present promises a greater future for the region which begot Afro-jazz maestro Wambali Mkandawire.
In just 15 minutes of ngonde folk songs—Lupakisho and Alilire Mwana Mpina—Lusekero’s lead vocalist Kelvin Nyengo and company gave fans what principal judge Cherby Jere aptly termed “organised music”, a sign that “they had enough preparation for the big stage”.
Preps matter and Lusekero’s stars are no miracles. At their backyard, they will never cease dumbfounding onlookers by the creativity, energy, team spirit, discipline and relentless listening as they learn the
strings and voices in the distinguished hands of the youthful coach they carried in the air, chanting: “Mourinho! Mourinho! Mourinho!”.
Even Lusubilo’s project officer Manase Chisiza credits the part-time music gaffer for all the sophisticated stuff that splendidly exposes clueless singers and players of instruments.
Tiwonge’s winning ways began with Tikhu Vibrations’ triumph in Music Crossroad Competition and he went to the coveted Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts which polished The Beatles’ Sir Paul McCartney.
But Lusubilo’s juicy exploits offer a prolific case that its
2014time Tiwonge slowed down on singing urban music, a subgenre most naïve self-styled musicians play for fame and dime.
With his vast knowledge, the Unique One is a light to the nation and he ought to be an eye-opener for many thirsting for the right way of performing music. In his class, Tiwonge should be a coach going all over the country teaching the youth everything Malawian music needs to reach international standards. This is the best way his know-how can benefit him and the nation.
