Mr Entertainer to retire this year
One of the most memorable radio adverts of the 90s was Jai Banda self-promo ‘I am not a teacher, I am not a doctor, I am not a manager…I am just an entertainer!’
But that song is about to change. After 25 years, Malawi’s longest serving music promoter Jai Banda is quitting.
In an exclusive interview with The Nation, Jai confided that 2014 is the year the self acclaimed ‘Mr Entertainer’ bids farewell to music promotion.
While his departure might spell doom for musicians, they need not to worry as Jai has entrusted the running of his Entertainers Promotions empire to his son Tonderai, who is a sound engineer based in the UK.
“My son is coming in June; he is an authority in music as well and will be the one taking over Entertainers Promotions so there will be continuity,” explains Jai.
Mr Entertainer, a lawyer who runs his private firm in Blantyre, says he is retiring because he feels he does not have the same energy levels as when he started the music promotion business.
“I used to have this energy and special magic and now that I am growing I have lost it and I feel it’s time to call it a day,” he says.
Asked as to whether he has made the decision in respect of the unprofitability of the music business, the music promoter dismisses the assertion, saying music has always been a non-lucrative venture.
“Music has always been unprofitable to me; I promote music because of the love I have for it. If I was to sell the equipment that we use I could buy two Mercedes Benzes, so now you know it’s not about the money,” says the music guru.
Born Alfred Jairos Banda in Zimbabwe, the music aficionado came to Malawi in 1987. At the time, musicians were performing cover of foreign musici; that is when Jai noted a void worth filling.
He started organising the Reggae by Foot Festival, which was an annual event that gave thrust to artists such as Ethel Kamwendo, MBC Band,
Rolling Stars, Burning Creation, Black Angels, Jupetters Band, Masaka Band, Police Orchestra, Thukuta Band and Wepaz Band.
Jai claimed a place in the fight for establishment of multiparty democracy in the country when, realising music has the power to influence decisions, change mindsets and inform, he organised a concert dubbed Reggae Strong for Peace at BAT grounds in Blantyre on April 3 1993.
Jai has promoted artists and bands such as Bright Nkhata and Makasu Band, Lucius Banda, Skeffa Chimoto and Black Missionaries.
Apart from organising local festivals, concerts and promoting local artists, Jai has the bragging-rights to being the pioneer of bringing foreign artists in the country.
He expresses content with his achievements in promoting Malawian music as he said he feels he has done a good job in promoting Malawian music.
“When I was starting I found musicians performing cover renditions of other musicians, but I told musicians to start performing their own songs, so I will retire a happy man,” says Jai.
