By CHRISTINE KUNDA –
Zambia’s musical export to Australia Larry Maluma is next month slated to release his latest album titled Justice.
In his latest album, Maluma has worked with some of the best Australian musicians on his new project that fuses African roots reggae with an influence of jazz, soul and Jamaican.
Maluma has worked with the likes of Vika and Linda Bull, Christopher Bekker, Jason Heerah, Nicky Bomba,Dorian West and Diesel, to highlight just a few.
It’s been a creative and inspirational career for Maluma who intends to take his new album, Justice to as many people as possible as he undertakes a music tour this year.
The new 10-track album has songs such as ‘Gather Around’, ‘Mizeezo Ibotu’, ‘Ndasika’, ‘Aisha’, and ‘Inside My Head.’.
Maluma is an accomplished musician, composer and singer who sings in a combination of English and Zambian languages like Nyanja, Bemba and Tonga and adopts different music styles which he has used to blend his own brand of roots music.
Despite more than two decades of being broad, Maluma is still attached to Zambia as evidenced by his effort to keep Zambian roots music on course internationally.
His unique sound has put some of his songs at the top of the Zambian musical charts.
Maluma has broadened the Australian perspective of African music by releasing several albums with African rhythms with Justice being the singer’s 13th studio album.
He has also released more than 15 music video clips which have been aired on the Australian ABC programme, Rage.
Ever since he cut his music teeth, Larry has been renowned for offloading albums such as Ndakondwa and Bakaindi (ancestors), a project from which a radio favourite titled Jah Nation is lifted from.
Larry’s first two vinyl releases were Confusion (1987) and One Man’s Poison (1989).
These were followed by the albums, Hallelujah (1991) Man and Woman 1993, Nuff is Enough (1996).
Follow up releases include the Motion (1997) & Roots and Herbs ( 2000).
Larry and his 10-piece band have also headlined Apollo Bay Music Festival, Bellingen Global Carnival and the Globe to Globe World Music Festival 2001.
Larry & his band Roots & Herbs performed again at the Globe to Globe World Music Festival October, 2002.
In 2003, Larry and band were special guests of Angelique Kidjo when she played the Prince of Wales, Melbourne.
At the beginning of 2004, Larry was asked by two members of MMM International to assist with the Zambian project – “The African Dream.”
The project assists underprivileged children in Zambia.
As a young musician in Zambia, Maluma’s desire was to grow his music career which became a reality.
Maluma headed to Australia in the mid 80s and easy access to recording studios and instruments made it a positive experience for Maluma.
“In Zambia there were no real big studios at the time like in Australia and the closest music shop to my house was three to four hundred kilometres… Everyone was looking to head overseas and record and sign to a label if they could.
“I came here in Australia to enhance my career and it’s been a long ride. My journey has been a very liberating experience and one that I wouldn’t swap for anything in the world,” Maluma said.
