Them Mushrooms is a musical band from

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

, playing mostly

Chakacha Chakacha is a traditional music and dance style (a ''ngoma'') of the Swahili people of coastal Kenya and Tanzania, originally associated with weddings and performed and watched by women. In the late 20th century, musical groups such as Mombasa Roots ...

, some

Benga Benga may refer to: Ethnonym * Benga people, an indigenous ethnic group of Equatorial Guinea * Benga language, spoke by the Benga people * Benga music, a genre of music originating in Kenya Places Romania * ''Benga'', the old name of Mo ...

and also some

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

. They are most famous for the Swahili 1982 song ''

Jambo Bwana "Jambo Bwana" (in Swahili "Hello Sir") is a Kenyan pop song also popular in Tanzania. It was first released in 1982 by Kenyan band Them Mushrooms, and later covered by a number of other groups and artists, including Mombasa Roots, Safari Sound Ban ...

''. The band is composed of Teddy Kalanda, Henry Ndenge Saha and Ben Mutwiwa. They mainly do covers of previously written hit songs. In 2009 bandleader John Katana was among four pioneering Kenyan artists given Head of State Commendation awards by president

Mwai Kibaki Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki (15 November 1931 – 21 April 2022) was a Kenyan politician who served as the third President of Kenya from December 2002 until April 2013 and is regarded as one of Kenya's founding fathers. He had previously ser ...

. Musician

John Nzenze John Nzenze (194030 May 2020) was a musician from Kenya. He had performed the twist dance style.Daily Nation, 14 June 2009At 70, Nzenze still holds on to his guitar/ref> Some of his most popular songs were "Angelike" (released in 1961), "Julieta ...

was among the others.Daily Nation, 5 June 2009
Three sing their way to glory
/ref>

History

The group was founded in 1969 as Avenida Success. The original line-up consisted of Harrison brothers Teddy Kalanda, Billy Sarro, George Zirro, John Katana, Pius Plato Chitianda "Jibaba" and Pritt Nyale. A fifth Harrison brother, Dennis Kalume, joined two years later. In 1972 the group was renamed Them Mushrooms,The Standard, 27 August 2009
Why do bands break up?
/ref> from the mystical magic mushroom species, that grow wildly across the depths of Africa's rain forests. They are seen as East Africa's premier band. This group rose to fame with a distinct blend of

Taarab Taarab is a music genre popular in Tanzania and Kenya. It is influenced by the musical traditions of the African Great Lakes, North Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent. Taarab rose to prominence in 1928 with the advent of the ...

and Sega/

folk music, before taking to

and spicing it up with rap and hip-hop beats. African influences included

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from Congo,

Egypt 80 Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997), also known as Abami Eda, was a Nigerian musician, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist. He is regarded as the p ...

and Manu Dibango of

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while in the international front it was

Otis Redding Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. ...

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, and also

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. The group originally played the beach hotel circuit in

Mombasa Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of the British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital city status. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...

until 1986, with its coastal music influences. They moved to

Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ha ...

the year after.''Kenya: Journey through a rhythm nation''
BBC News World: Africa. 30 August 1999. The group almost disbanded in 1992 when its drummer and songwriter Dennis Kalume died and George Zirro left the band to pursue a solo career. In 2002 the band was renamed Uyoga, but the name "Them Mushrooms" has since been taken back. One of the most famous of their songs is ''Jambo Bwana'' (''Hello, mister'' in Swahili), released in 1982 and often referred to as " Hakuna Matata" from refrain lines. Penned by Teddy Kalanda, the band leader, this song went on to sell 30,000 copies. Jambo Bwana, borrowed from a popular Kenyan folk song of the same name was an instant hit in the 1980s. One of their other hits, Ndogo Ndogo, was adapted as soundtrack of the Paul Singh-produced

Kiswahili language Swahili, also known by its local name , is the native language of the Swahili people, who are found primarily in Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique (along the East African coast and adjacent litoral islands). It is a Bantu language, though Swahili ...

film titled Mahari.

Discography

Them Mushroom have released several albums:
Big Q Entertainment Unlimited
* ''Jambo Bwana'' (1980) (''Rocking in Africa'' / ''Greetings and Respect'' / ''Nyimbo Za Daktari'' / ''Madd Maddo Maddest'' / ''Lady'' / ''Oh Twaila'' / ''

'' / ''Was 1st Lost Mama'' / ''What You See'' / ''Comment Allez-Vous'' / ''Come Stare'' / ''John Lennon'' / ''Ronja'' / ''Wanamziki Si Wakora'') * ''Mama Africa'' (1983) * ''New Horizons'' (1985) * ''At the Carnivore'' (1987) * ''Going Places'' (1988) * ''Almost There'' (1989) * ''Where We Belong'' (1990) * ''Zilizopendwa 91'' (1991) * ''Zilizopendwa 92'' (1992) * ''Kazi Ni Kazi'' (1996) * ''Ni Hiyo'' (1998) * ''Oh! Twalia'' (1998) * ''Jambo Bwana'' (1999) * ''Songs from Kenya'' (2000) (''Jambo Bwana'' / ''Mushroom Soup'' / ''Wazee Wakumbuke'' / ''Wazee Wakatke'' / ''Zilizo Pendwa'' / ''Za Kale Zipo'' / ''

Malaika Malaika is a Swahili song written by Tanzanian musician Adam Salim in 1945. This song is possibly the most famous of all Swahili love songs in Tanzania, Kenya and the entire East Africa, as well as being one of the most widely known of all Swahi ...

'' / ''Wamsheba Wamsheba'' / ''Si Nguo'' / ''Kama Zamani'' / ''Hapo Kale'') * ''Zilizopendwa 2000'' (2000) * ''Uyoga'' (2004)

References

{{Authority control Kenyan musical groups 1969 establishments in Kenya Musical groups established in 1969 Musical groups established in 1972