Them Mushrooms band in the UK for shows
Them Mushrooms band members (from left) John Katana, Hamisi Madonga, Hassan Mandingo and Billy Sarro during a show at the Alliance Francaise auditorium on July 14, 2020.
Members of the Them Mushrooms band of the Jambo Bwana hit song fame are in England for a series of shows which are a build-up to activities to mark the 50th-anniversary celebrations since the formation of the group set for on December 12.
Speaking to Saturday Nation earlier this week, band leader John Katana said they had been invited to a musical tour of the UK by some of their fans under the auspices of ‘Kenya and Friends in the Park.’
“Being summer time in Europe and with the easing of Covid-19 restrictions gave us the ideal opportunity to travel there - something that concurs well with our group’s 50-year celebrations set for on December 12,” he said.
Them Mushrooms band leader John Katana.
Last evening they were due to perform at the McQueens Theatre in London. Katana is accompanied on tour by his brother Billy Sarro and drummer Hassan Mandingo. Meanwhile in England they are also teaming up with London-based Congolese guitarist Fiston Lusambo as a guest performer. Also expected to team up with Them Mushrooms will be Swiss-based DJ Dalla Silk who specialises in African music.
Tomorrow the second show by the group, part of the “Hakuna Matata UK Tour,” is set for The Jago also in London. Other shows are set for July 30 and on August 6.
Similarly as Katana pointed out, on returning from their tour, the band will collaborate with younger Kenyan artistes to re-release some of the group’s past hits.
They are also scheduled to embark on doing one-off monthly performances in several counties in appreciation to Kenyan fans for their support over the last five decades.
Ever since the past, the group’s beats were chakacha, reggae and benga.
Them Mushrooms, which started as a family band in 1972 alongside some friends in Mombasa, is to date amongst the longest surviving Kenyan bands.
Notably the original band brothers were Teddy Kalanda, George Zirro (deceased), Billy Sarro, Denis Kalume (deceased) and John Katana. At the moment the group features John Katana, Billy alongside other session members.
In the late 1980s they relocated from Mombasa to Nairobi and they released the popular At the Carnivore album amongst others. The evergreen Jambo Bwana hit song composed by Teddy Kalanda was released in 1980.
After briefly changing the group’s name to Uyoga Band in 2002, they were back to their original name. They are working on a new album.
