MOST of the people who attended last week’s Stanbic Jazz Festival at the upperdeck of Levy Park Mall in Lusaka confessed to have known American Jazz musician Earl Klugh’s songs through radio.
The over 2,000 jazz lovers who thronged the Misty Jazz arena on two respective nights could be dead silent when Klugh played ‘unfamiliar’ tunes but awakened to songs like Across the Sand, Jo Ann’s song, The Last and Heart String.
“I knew that particular song from ZNBC radio when Ben Kangwa played it each time he came on air. He played it without saying anything,” said a delighted 62-year old Mervis Chihuru at the function.
Many local music followers have always associated Earl Klugh’s music to ZNBC radio that popularised it, either as interludes or full Jazz session play.
Meanwhile, it was misleading for some radio stations to continue running adverts of the function days after it had already taken place.
The Stambic Jazz Festival took place on Friday, October 2, 2015 and Saturday, October 3, yet one radio station ran the advert on Monday, October 5, 2015, encouraging people to buy tickets.
HIT MAN?
One private radio station was at it again when, during their news bulletin referred to Zesco United striker Winston Kalengo as Chipolopolo HITMAN.
To the best of most soccer fans, Kalengo has only scored one goal for the national team and cannot be said to be hitman for Chipolopolo. He may be called that for his local club Zesco where he plays and scores regularly.
Collins Mbesuma, who has been with the national soccer team for a long time and has socred a number of goals at that level qualify for the hitman mark.
RADIO CHIMWEMWE
Giving praise where it is due, Radio Chimwemwe hosted a live phone-in programme where listeners phoned to talk about some rundown infrastructure and give suggestions on how to repair them.
That can be said to be one constructive programme on radio civic leaders need to tune to for them to know what was happening on the ground.
The beauty about that programme was that callers did not just complain, but also gave solutions and ideas on how some damaged infrastructure could be repaired.
HOT FM
A random sample last Friday and Saturday revealed that a good number of listeners were tuned in to HOT FM radio, through mobile phones, private and public transport.
Among the popular programmes was the daily Breakfast Show hosted by Hope and Chi, the dual many listeners say are current, relavant and level-headed in their discussions.
RADIO 4
Having chanced Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation Radio Four last weekend, Man Chilu anchored what he called Zed competition ride from 16:00 hours on which he played uncommon, yet good local songs.
One of the songs Man Chilu played was ZNBC staff, Mark Ziligone’s song in which he wonders how some people get drunk in few minutes, the musician in Mark asks what type of beer such people consume.
ICENGELO
It is amazing that despite the fact that ‘Amapinda ne Nsoselo’ (a ci-Bemba programme of riddles) has been running for a long time, presenters keep coming up with new riddles.
What is common on many programmes that have run for a long time on radio is that presenters tend to repeat items they have previously presented.
One Lusaka-based radio fan hinted that he misses Radio Icengelo, especially a ci-Bemba drama, ‘Abena Kalale’, apart from the programmes, she said the radio station was the first and only alternative to ZNBC on the Copperbelt.
PHOENIX
One lucid female radio presenter we have not pronounced loudly on this column is Candy on Radio Phoenix.
With her Candy session presentation which she anchors immediately after breakfast, Candy is steady with her comments and music.
SUN FM
There is a multi-skilled man on Sun FM who comes, not as a presenter, but as one being featured on several foras. Mr Milton Chipuma always ‘takes charge’ of any item he is given to articulate.
Such is the confidence required of those who go on air to discuss topics to the benefit of listeners.
In his appearance last week while discussing stories behind some local songs, he interviewd Mr Jaggari Chanda whose music from the Witch days was featured.
RCV
At a time when Zambia is talking about prayer and fasting, Pastor Sunday Sinyangwe was as usual doing what he knows best on Radio Christian Voice (RCV) last Sunday.
Pastor Sinyangwe turns radio into a prayer channel each time he takes to ‘Standing in the Gap’ session, and the younger prayer warrior, Paul who exchanged a slot with Pastor Sinyangwe last Sunday night is a true testinomy of training a child prophecy.
FLAVA FM
Reacting to last week’s write up on Flava FM radio Francis wrote: “What a ‘wicked’ combination that was.
The two should organise workshops for a fee off course to teach the young rookies how to man the Deck.
However, Gesh has experience in both Disco and Radio.I’d like to believe the two are different crafts.
Man Child who says his the Prophet of the streets and has the music to move your feet, was  and still is Master on the microphone, poetry spiced up with brute arrogance on the mic made his rap unique.
The two Masters like Kung fu gurus’when on the mic ‘own’ the show and are a breed apart in Show biz.They are the best in the Business, PERIOD!”
Francis Chewe Bwalya
QFM
We join those radio fans in mourning one of QFM radio deejays, Boogie C (born Choolwe Mbawa) who was one of Q-FMs most popular presenters.
Boogie, who died last week, was one of Q FM’s very first radio presenters in the early 2000s who shot to fame when he was a pupil at Munali Boys and introduced ‘PWANDO’, a slogan for party people.
By 2006, Choolwe was Muvi TV presenter for first TV show ‘Sizzle’ that hosted artists such Slapdee, General Ozzy and Petersen.
Boogie had a legion of followers that adored his voice and style seeing him busy most times and very popular in many places.
SA METRO FM
One of the unusual radio programmes was reported on a South African radio station Metro FM.
Metro FM presenter Refiloe Mpakanyane launched a programme called ‘Book Drive’.
Mpakanyane, a Radio Metro FM News-Reader and co-host of afternoon drive; TouchDown launched her annual book drive in a bid to encourage more reading amongst youth.
In its second year, the book drive is meant to focus on four schools on the East Rand/ Ekurhuleni area as well as a crèche.
The radio personality’s book drive coincided with and is in support of the South African National Book Week.
The launch which took place at East Rand Value Mall McDonalds also included activities like Storytelling for toddlers, Hip hop performances, poetry performance and a spellathon.
We refer to this South African radio station to provoke our local radio stations to, at least, think out side the box and come up with educative presentations.
Stay tuned, don’t touch that dial! – jackmwewa@gmail.com   0955115777