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WITCH

A pioneering Zambian psychedelic act, Witch (the name is an acronym, standing for We Intend to Cause Havoc) were one of the defining acts of Zamrock, a fusion of Western rock and rhythm & blues with traditional African sounds. They were among Zambia's most popular and influential bands in the 1970s as a wave of psychedelic and hard rock gained an audience in Africa. A landlocked nation in the South of Africa, Zambia was formerly Northern Rhodesia until gaining its independence in 1964, and as Zambia established its own national identity, local musicians began embracing the progressive influences of artists such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix, as well as the forward-thinking soul and funk sounds of James Brown. By the mid-'70s, Zambia was falling into political chaos as the nation's once-profitable mining industry ran dry, and many Zamrock bands reflected this with a darker, more psychedelic-influenced sound that suggested a familiarity with the likes of Deep Purple and Grand Funk Railroad. Witch's 1972 debut, Introduction, was the first commercial album released by a Zambian band, and they continued to deliver music until fading into dormancy in the mid-'80s. A reissue campaign launched in 2011 brought the band to a new generation of listeners, and Witch reunited in 2012 and started touring again shortly thereafter. In 2023, they released Zango, their first new album in almost 40 years. The original lineup of Witch included vocalist Emanyeo "Jagari" Chanda, guitarists Chris Mbewe and John Muma, bassist Gedeon Mulenga, and drummer Boidi Sinkala, who were veterans of Zambian cover bands of the late '60s; Chanda (whose nickname "Jagari" came from his fascination with Mick Jagger, one of his strongest influences) had worked with the Red Balloons and the Boyfriends (the latter group would evolve into another key Zamrock outfit, Peace), while most of the other members were members of Kingston Market. In 1971, Chanda sang with Kingston Market at a school function, and he was invited to join the group; they soon changed their name to the Mighty Witch, and then simply Witch, using the acronym they'd coined as explanation. Fueled by marijuana and Western rock and soul, the group's debut album, Introduction, was released in 1972, and was among the first commercially released LPs issued in Zambia. Witch's third album, 1975's Lazy Bones!!, is generally regarded as their finest work; while they were hampered by the primitive recording technology available in Africa, they developed a large following in Zambia and were playing stadium-sized shows throughout the continent. After Witch toured as an opening act for Osibisa, the U.K.-based Afro-rock band, they began including more local influences on their next album, Lukombo Vibes, but in 1977 the group began to splinter when Chanda left to return to school and become a teacher. A reshuffled version of Witch continued to record up until the mid-'80s, going in a more disco-influenced direction on albums like 1980's Movin' On and 1984's Kuomboka. Around the mid-'80s, however, the band ground to a halt. In the 21st century, crate diggers interested in idiosyncratic rock sounds from around the world rediscovered Witch, and the German reissue label Shadoks released new CD editions of Introduction and Lazy Bones!! In 2011 the American label Now Again Records released We Intend to Cause Havoc!, a comprehensive Witch box set that featured their five studio albums plus a bonus collection of single tracks and unreleased material. This sparked new interest in the band, and by 2013, a Chanda-led Witch had regrouped and was touring again. In 2023, Witch released Zango, their first album of new material in almost 40 years. It included contributions from fellow Zambian artists such as Sampa the Great and Theresa Ng’ambi.
© Mark Deming /TiVo
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