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The band was formed in 2008,largely to entertain inmates at the Zomba prison.It’s also an addition for the Malawi Prison Brass Band.
The acting chief commissioner of prisons, Little Dinizulu Mtengano,said the band came into being when he bumped into a group of musical young prisoners.
“When I visited the Zomba Central Prison,I saw some boys playing locally made guitars from empty containers.And they could play music,”Mtengano said.“And once they started playing music,there was an attraction of prisoners coming out from their cells to listen to this music.And I said, “No, let us improve this.”He proposed funding from the National AIDS Commission for the musicians to start composing songs about HIV/AIDS awareness messages.
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“They gave us MK500,000 ,”“We bought three electrical guitars, a set of drums and very small speakers.Oh, the guys were very happy.And we started composing HIV/AIDS awareness campaign music inside the prisons.”
This led to authorities giving the band additional funds to buy more musical instruments.
A prison officer, Linesi Kaunde, is the deputy leader of the band.She said the nomination was a surprise to everyone at the prison.
“We were not expecting it,especially when this American man came to record our music,”“We were suspicious of his motive.We were not sure what he wanted to do with our music and where he wanted to take it.We only allowed him to record us because it was an instruction from authorities.”
Band member Ernest Kufandiko was sentenced in 2009 for theft.He said the nomination confirmed that a prison is a reformatory center and not a dumping ground.
"Masal Amision do not expect that we will be leading our previous lifestyle once we are released,“What they should know is that we have learned skills that,once released, they will know that these young men have indeed changed.”
The 20-song album was recorded in 2013 by visiting American Grammy-winning producer Ian Brenner,who later gave it international exposure.
Prison authorities said the band would not attend the awards ceremony in Los Angeles in February.Instead, they said, a government representative may go on its behalf.
But whoever represents them, the band members say they will win the award.
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