Edgar ndi Davis Band, led by frontrunners Davis Njobvu and Edgar Kachere, have organised a concert that is aimed at raising funds to have veteran musician Giddes Chalamanda realise his dream to visit USA.
The concert dubbed Giddes goes to America 2016 will be held at Chameleone Four Seasons in Lilongwe Saturday.
“This is a concert where we are launching a project known as GITA 2016 which is a plan to send Giddes Chalamanda to United States of America next year. GITA simply means ‘Giddes to America,” said Njobvu.
He said in one of Giddes’ songs titled ‘Buffalo Soldier’, the veteran singer said when he was a young boy, he used to dream of going to America.
He further said in the song that he had heard that the streets in America are made of stone.
“What we want to do as a band, therefore, is to create a fairy tale for Giddes to realise his boyhood ambition. He is 86 years now and we want him to go there at this age and see America for himself,” he said.
Njobvu revealed that they have a lot of partners on whom they are counting for help.
“We are serious about this project and we are hoping to have support from our partners’ including South African, Malawian and American Embassies, members of the Kamuzu Academy Alumni Association, Press Trust, Get Bucks, Farmers World, Zodiak Radio and TV, Mr Jai Banda and Entertainers Promotions, Mibawa Studios and promotions, the Malawi government, Nedbank, the Mayor of the city of Blantyre, Malawians living in America, our friends and fans,” said Njobvu.
He added:
“For instance, we will ask Zodiak to fund a camera man who can film the whole trip from point A to Z and later produce a documentary which all people will see in Malawi.”
The singer said they believe that it is possible for them to send Giddes to America at a time when “our friends have managed to send people to the moon and other planets.”
“We are, therefore, appealing to all well- wishers to assist in whatever way they can to make Project GITA 2016 a success,” said Njobvu.
He said the concert is also part of giving people an early Christmas treat.
“As Edgar ndi Davis we are ready for the concert and so is Giddes Chalamanda. We are aiming to raise funds but also at the same time we want to entertain people as we look forward to Christmas and also ushering in the New Year,” said Njobvu.
He could not be drawn to say how much money they were looking for to have the ‘Che Meli,’ star travel to USA.
Njobvu also said that once everything materialises, the veteran musician will travel to USA with some of the members of Edgar ndi Davis Band and that they would make sure that they also arrange concerts for him.
The veteran musician recently hailed Edgar and Davis for the support throughout the years saying without them he could not have been where he is today.
“They have been there for me giving me the much-needed support and may God bless them. As I said -music is part of me, I will continue singing as long as I am alive,” said Giddes, who once hinted that he was a boxer before dumping the sport to concentrate on music.
During live acts, the veteran musician who is slowly losing his voice has stunned people with his energy on stage.
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