Wait a second – is that yodeling? In the middle of the clearly Southern Africa-inspired folk song Nalikwebele Sonka, Alick Nkhata really does break into a short yodel. For anyone familiar with country music – where yodeling also has a long-standing tradition – it may evoke memories of the Bulawayo Blue Yodel compilation (Mississippi Records), which once compellingly demonstrated just how deeply Western music had been absorbed into Southern African traditions.
But Nkhata’s music goes far beyond that. As a musician and longtime head of Zambia’s national radio, he was deeply committed to documenting and preserving the musical traditions of the country’s many ethnic groups. At the same time, he was an open-minded artist who incorporated jazz, country, and pop influences into his work – blending them with African musical idioms in original ways. Many of his songs are characterized by alluring harmonies and a delicate tone oscillating between melancholy and pride.
Historically speaking, Alick Nkhata is a pivotal figure. In Zambia, he is considered a national legend – not just musically, but also politically. In 1978, he was killed during a Rhodesian attack on a ZIPRA camp – the armed wing of Zimbabwe’s liberation movement, which he actively supported. Nalikwebele Sonka is therefore not only a musical gem, but also a sonic monument to cultural pride and resistance.
Radio Lusaka
