Witch
Tear Rec./Shadoks Witch : Lazy Bones!! -CD/LP-(ZAM,1974)****
This album has no "real African" style, but is "western" styled (Afro-)rock with a psych touch, great fuzz, some wahwah, just at times a bit raw/garage-like in inspiration but already in a more 70s rock context, with a fine emotional awareness in the singing (with a few vocal harmonies). Compared to Chris Zebby or The Blackfoot, the only two other acts I heard from the same period, this is a bit more developed, in an urban way, and sounds like a next stage of inspiration of driven rock music with a slightly more worked out electric guitars. “October Night” has a slight African psych touch in the second part, but also a more bluesy improvisation. The album is just perfect and enjoyable as it is, and therefore comes recommended. The LP I think will be sold out by now. I hope there will come a CD reissue later.
One source on the net says "In the capital Lusake you should be able to find all 4 cd reissues of Witch."..
Earrrational : "Completely unknown band from Zambia, privately pressed on a small local label, this 5 piece electric band plays a strong electric African underground style. Tons of wah wah-fuzz guitar in every track, African style beats and vocals and all original song. If bands from Nigeria such as Blo and Ofege and bands from Zambia such as Rikki Ililonga and Chrissy Zebby are all traveling on the psychedelic highway with 100 mph the Witch overtakes them with 120".
On the cover we can read : "If you're feeling depressed, low, disturbed, out-of-sorts, sad, frustrated or widely demented, then folks, we suggest you seek out a quiet place, indulge in some soothing meditation and cut away that headache by listening to this inspiration album."
Damonway : "Packed full of fuzzed out wah-wah leads, and rolling vocals melodies, this five-piece takes you on a wonderful ride… nothing short of pure excellence. The icing is the wonderful accent that the singer delivers… English with a Zambian slur, which makes for a nice vocal play against the rest of the ensemble."
Other internet description : ."..inspirational psych/rock group blasting out of Zambia in 1975. A soul-shouting edge combines with hard driving punk/garage guitars, tons of wah-wah, mesmeric melodic constructs, heavy African rhythms and powering blues testifying that sounds like a more militant/low-down take on South American psych."
One member of the band should still be alive. I heard also the rest of their stuff should be worth tracing.
Shadoks Witch : Introduction -CD/LP- (ZAM,1975,re.2010)****
You could read already in the review of the previous reissue, of Witch’s first album, how the band had at least four records released with some reissues in Zambia. This is finally the European (limited edition) reissue on LP of their second album. You can hear simple and rhythmically attractive songs (and two instrumentals) with more often garage-like Mick Jaggerish-singing, sometimes with dual or group harmony singing, always with a garagy feeling, with softly recorded drums (of an almost brushed nature, a primitive drum kit playing a rhythmical and attractive danceable 4/4 expression, never to much to the front), psych organ solos or nice organ theme combinations with the electric guitars, as rather afro-rock loop-dance themes with a few openings to some fuzz guitar solos. The rhythms are smoothly, and just now and then more up tempo, occasionally with a bluesy and an R&B theme as rhythm-driven inspirations. A very attractive record and group sound and rather catchy songs, and an album which after 35 minutes only makes one desire more..
Witch were the from the first generation of “Zam-rock” artists, (who all sung in English, and embraced fuzz guitars and rock music) and also were the most popular band of its time in Zambia. Later generations of Zam-rock derived to a more generalised Afro-Cuban-style of Afro-pop, with less or no progressive movement.
Now Again Rec. Witch : We Intend To Cause Havoc -4CD/6LP- (ZAM,1970s,re.2012)****°
Even for those who already bought the first and second LP of Witch, it still becomes a must-have item to buy this LP or CD box. The CD box price seems to be even less than just one separate CD of any of the two previously reissued albums. So, here is the complete works of the rock period from this Zambian band (including the first 5 LP’s). It also includes a small book with the bands history (photographs, biography and context, interview, discography).
I have already reviewed the first two albums from the earlier reissues. This leaves me with three more albums.
“In The past”, their second album wasn’t reissued yet and is in the vein of the earliest album. It is simple and direct in its songs (bass, guitar, drums, organ), in a more late 60s teenage music garage fashion (or fitting with that area, -more professionally recorded). It is mostly calmly played and performed.
On “Lukombo Vibes” (the fourth LP, from 1976), the band is warmed up at its most experienced: we hear good, attractive songs, with a tightly arranged, fluently playing band with a moody organ and groovy vibes. I very much like this version of English rock where everything vibrates so smoothly and moodily. Only especially the last track shows more clearly African-inspired and more complex rhythms. This third album very much is an expansion from the first three, which are more rough and spontaneous albums, the perfection in this one shows itself off.
A real change in style perspective of the creative process happened I think only around the 5th album period recordings of “Janet”, which sounds more happy and relaxed, just like a highlife band, which becomes one step further from rock and one step closer to a more generalised and so less creative style.
For the history of African rock this box is one of the best buys.
