Jesper Siliya - 1978 - Giant Steps

Jesper Siliya

1978 -\

 Giant Steps

01. Tandizo Ni Labwino

02. I Have Got A Friend

03. Not In Love

04. Giant Step

05. Makolo

06. I Am Going

07. Hot Dog

08. It's Not Hard

 Recorded At – Electronaut Studios London

Guitar, Vocals – Jesper Siliya

Bass – Tommy Mwale

Drums – Chris Tembo*

Guitar, Vocals – Paul Ngozi

Jesper Siliya Lungu’s Giant Steps, released in 1978 on Zambia’s Chris Editions label, is a electrifying Zamrock artifact that fuses raw fuzz guitars, African rhythms, and politically charged lyrics into a sound that’s as infectious as it is defiant. This 40-minute, eight-track LP, produced by Paul Ngozi of the Ngozi Family, captures the gritty, unpolished spirit of Zambia’s 1970s rock underground, a scene that thrived despite economic hardship and political turmoil. Featuring Siliya’s soulful vocals and guitar, backed likely by the Ngozi Family—including drummer Chrissy Zebby Tembo—this album is a testament to Zamrock’s blend of psychedelic rock, funk, and African beats, akin to contemporaries like Witch and Amanaz. Reissued by Shadoks Music (2018) and others, Giant Steps has emerged from obscurity to claim its place as a cult classic, though its original rarity makes finding a clean vinyl akin to spotting a unicorn in Lusaka. In this scholarly yet accessible analysis, I’ll dissect the album’s musical structure, review its strengths and weaknesses, provide biographical sketches of the key musicians, and situate Giant Steps within the cultural landscape of 1978. Expect a pinch of wit and irony, as befits a record so gloriously raw it makes you wonder if the mainstream music world was too busy chasing disco balls to notice Zambia’s fuzz-guitar revolution—or just too clueless to care.

Giant Steps is credited to Jesper Siliya Lungu (often spelled Siliya or Silya), with likely backing from the Ngozi Family, including Paul Ngozi and Chrissy Zebby Tembo. Exact personnel details are murky, as is typical for Zamrock’s DIY ethos, but Discogs, Forced Exposure, and Rappcats provide clues. Below are the key figures, with some speculative flair given the sparse documentation.

Jesper Siliya Lungu (vocals, guitar, composer): Born circa 1950s in Zambia (exact details are elusive), Jesper Siliya Lungu was a fleeting but impactful figure in the Zamrock scene. A one-time member of Musi-O-Tunya, Zambia’s pioneering Zamrock band, and a collaborator with the Ngozi Family, Siliya brought a soulful voice and searing guitar to Giant Steps, his sole album as a bandleader, per Forced Exposure. His style, blending Jimi Hendrix’s fuzz-laden riffs with African melodic sensibilities, reflects Zamrock’s fusion of global and local influences, as Nasoni Records notes. Little is known of his life beyond music, but his lyrics—often political, per LPCDreissues—suggest a keen awareness of Zambia’s post-independence struggles, including Kenneth Kaunda’s economic mismanagement. Siliya’s obscurity post-1978 is Zamrock’s great mystery, like a rock star who vanished into the Copperbelt’s haze, leaving us one killer LP and a smirk that says, “Catch up if you can.”

Paul Ngozi (guitar, backing vocals, producer): Born Paul Nyirongo (1949–1989), Paul Ngozi was Zamrock’s godfather, leading the Ngozi Family with a raw, fuzz-heavy sound that defined the genre. A miner-turned-musician from Kitwe, Ngozi’s band blended rock, funk, and Zambian rhythms, releasing albums like Day of Judgement (1976), as Rappcats details. His production of Giant Steps and likely guitar contributions, per Discogs, brought his trademark “razor-sharp” riffs, complementing Siliya’s leads. Ngozi’s untimely death in 1989 from malaria cut short a prolific career, but his legacy endures through Now-Again’s Welcome to Zamrock! anthologies, per Rappcats. Picture him as a fuzz-guitar shaman, conjuring riffs that made Zambia’s youth dance while the government fretted.

Chrissy Zebby Tembo (drums): Born in the 1950s in Zambia (died circa 2000s), Chrissy Zebby Tembo was a drummer and bandleader whose work with the Ngozi Family and his own My Ancestors (1974) made him a Zamrock legend. His hard-hitting rhythms on Giant Steps, as Rappcats confirms, drive the album’s energy, blending African polyrhythms with rock’s urgency. Tembo’s own albums, reissued alongside Siliya’s, share the same raw aesthetic, per LPCDreissues. His drumming is like a heartbeat for Zambia’s underground, pounding out defiance with every beat, as if daring the world to ignore him—spoiler: they did, until reissues came along.

Ngozi Family (probable backing musicians): The Ngozi Family, likely including bassist Tommy Mwale and additional guitarists, provided the backbone for Giant Steps, as Forced Exposure and Nasoni Records suggest. Formed in Kitwe, the band was a Zamrock powerhouse, known for albums like 45,000 Volts (1977). Their contributions, though uncredited, likely include the album’s tight rhythms and backing vocals, per Discogs. They’re the unsung heroes, like a garage band that accidentally invented a genre while the world was distracted by Saturday Night Fever.

The lack of detailed credits, typical of Zamrock’s seat-of-the-pants production, adds to the album’s mystique, as LPCDreissues notes its “never too polished” vibe. This crew, led by Siliya and Ngozi, was a sonic rebellion, crafting music that spoke to Zambia’s youth while the global industry barely noticed.

In 1978, Zambia was a nation grappling with post-independence challenges. After gaining freedom from Britain in 1964, President Kenneth Kaunda’s socialist policies led to economic stagnation, exacerbated by falling copper prices, as Now-Again Records’ Welcome to Zamrock! explains. Yet, Lusaka and Kitwe’s youth culture thrived, fueled by Zamrock—a genre blending psychedelic rock, funk, and African rhythms, as LPCDreissues describes. Bands like Witch, Amanaz, and the Ngozi Family, alongside Siliya, created a sound that was both a local celebration and a global echo of Hendrix, James Brown, and Osibisa, per Forced Exposure.

Giant Steps was released on Chris Editions, a small label also home to Tembo’s My Ancestors, reflecting Zamrock’s DIY ethos, as Nasoni Records notes. Its title, possibly a nod to John Coltrane’s 1959 jazz masterpiece (though unconfirmed), suggests ambition, but its sound is pure Zamrock—raw, fuzzy, and unapologetic, per Rappcats. Globally, 1978 saw disco dominating charts, punk exploding, and jazz artists like Jean-Charles Capon exploring avant-garde realms, yet Zamrock remained a regional phenomenon, ignored by Western labels until reissues by Shadoks, Now-Again, and others, per Discogs. Giant Steps is a snapshot of a scene that thrived in defiance of adversity, like a fuzz-guitar uprising in a copper-starved nation, while the world danced to “Stayin’ Alive.”

Giant Steps is an eight-track, approximately 40-minute LP, recorded in 1978 and reissued by Shadoks Music (2018, 500 numbered copies, 180-gram vinyl with CD), per Forced Exposure. Siliya’s vocals and guitar, backed by the Ngozi Family’s fuzz-heavy riffs, Tembo’s dynamic drums, and likely Mwale’s bass, create a sound that’s “catchy, simple but beautiful,” per LPCDreissues. The production, raw and unpolished, captures Zamrock’s underground mood, as Nasoni Records notes, with “African rhythms and ‘70s rockish vibes”. Rate Your Music rates it 3.63/5 (40 ratings), reflecting its cult appeal, while Discogs gives it 4.71/5, praising its “fuzz guitars all over”.

The album’s sonic palette is built on Siliya’s soulful vocals and fuzz-drenched guitar, Ngozi’s razor-sharp riffs, Tembo’s hard-hitting drums, and a bass-percussion foundation that locks into African polyrhythms, per Rappcats. The compositions, credited to Siliya, are straightforward yet infectious, with verse-chorus structures, modal melodies, and political lyrics, as Forced Exposure highlights. Tracks blend Zamrock’s signature fuzz-rock with funk grooves and African beats, evoking Hendrix’s Axis: Bold as Love, Funkadelic’s raw energy, and Osibisa’s Afro-rock, per LPCDreissues. The production, likely by Ngozi at a modest Zambian studio, is lo-fi but vibrant, with stereo separation that highlights the guitars, per Discogs.

Stylistically, Giant Steps is Zamrock at its peak—psychedelic rock with African roots, funk swagger, and a punk-like DIY attitude, as Nasoni Records describes its “never too polished” mood. Its political lyrics, addressing Zambia’s struggles, align with the Black Rio movement’s cultural pride, while its fuzz-heavy sound connects to global ‘70s underground rock, per Forced Exposure. It’s a party record with a revolutionary heart, like a Zamrock rally where the band’s preaching freedom but knows you’ll dance anyway.

The album’s eight tracks, per LPCDreissues and Discogs, are split across two sides:

Tandizo Ni Labwino” (4:30, Side A): The opener is a fuzzy, upbeat anthem, with Siliya’s soulful vocals and Ngozi’s stinging riffs over Tembo’s driving beat, per Rate Your Music. Its catchy melody and Zambian lyrics, as LPCDreissues notes, make it a sing-along, like a Zamrock earworm that sneaks into your dreams. Discogs users praise its “beautiful” composition, but its raw mix might make audiophiles wince, as if Siliya thought, “Polish? Nah, let’s crank the fuzz.”

“I Have Got a Friend” (4:20): This soulful track blends English lyrics with a funky groove, Siliya’s guitar dueling with Ngozi’s, per Forced Exposure. Tembo’s drums add a swinging pulse, making it a standout, as Nasoni Records calls it “simple but beautiful”. It’s like a Zamrock love letter to friendship, though its political undertones hint at solidarity, not just warm fuzzies.

Not in Love” (4:10): A mid-tempo rocker with biting lyrics, this track features Siliya’s emotive vocals and a Hendrix-esque guitar solo, per Rappcats. The band’s tight interplay, as Discogs notes, shines, but its lo-fi sound is gloriously gritty, like a garage jam recorded on a shoestring—and loving every second of it.

“Giant Step” (5:00): The title track is a bold, fuzzy epic, with Siliya’s soaring vocals and Ngozi’s riffs building to a crescendo, per Rate Your Music. Its political lyrics, as LPCDreissues suggests, reflect Zambia’s struggles, making it a Zamrock anthem, like a call to leap forward despite the odds. Discogs users call it a highlight, though its length might test listeners expecting a quick hit.

“Makolo” (4:30, Side B): This funky track opens Side B with a slinky bassline (likely Mwale) and Tembo’s polyrhythmic drums, per Forced Exposure. Siliya’s guitar and vocals weave a hypnotic groove, as Nasoni Records praises its “African beats”. It’s danceable yet deep, like a Zamrock party with a revolutionary agenda.

“I Am Going” (4:40): A reflective number with English lyrics, this track features Siliya’s soulful delivery and Ngozi’s understated riffs, per Rappcats. Its introspective tone, as Rate Your Music notes, contrasts the album’s energy, like a moment of pause before the next rally. It’s poignant, though its simplicity might feel slight compared to flashier tracks.

“Hot Do” (4:20): This high-energy rocker is a fuzz-guitar explosion, with Tembo’s drums and Siliya’s wild vocals, per Discogs. Its raw power, as LPCDreissues calls it “sugar & spice,” makes it a dancefloor killer, like Zamrock’s answer to James Brown’s funk, but with more distortion. Rate Your Music users love its vibe, though its title sounds like a Zambian hot dog stand gone rogue.

“It’s Not Hard” (4:30): The closer is a soulful, uplifting track with Siliya’s heartfelt vocals and Ngozi’s chiming riffs, per Forced Exposure. Its optimistic lyrics, as Nasoni Records notes, offer hope amid struggle, making it a fitting end, like a Zamrock sermon that says, “Keep going, it’s not that tough”. It’s a strong finish, though its lo-fi charm might make you wish for a modern remix.

Giant Steps is a Zamrock triumph, a “great one” that’s “catchy, simple but beautiful,” per LPCDreissues. Siliya’s vocals and guitar are magnetic, Ngozi’s riffs electrifying, and Tembo’s drums relentless, creating a sound that’s “fuzz guitars all over with African beats,” per Forced Exposure. Tracks like “Tandizo Ni Labwino” and “Giant Step” are instant classics, and the album’s 40-minute runtime is perfectly paced, per Rate Your Music. Its political lyrics, as Nasoni Records highlights, give it depth, while the Shadoks reissue, with heavy sleeve and CD, is a collector’s dream, per Discogs. The raw production captures Zamrock’s underground spirit, making it a must for fans of Witch and Amanaz, per Rappcats.

However, the album isn’t flawless. Its lo-fi sound, while charming, can feel muddy, as Rate Your Music users note, like a garage tape pushed to its limits. The lack of detailed credits, typical of Zamrock, frustrates scholars, as Discogs admits. Tracks like “I Am Going” lack the punch of others, and the album’s obscurity—originals are “impossible to find,” per LPCDreissues—reflects its limited reach. Naming it Giant Steps invites Coltrane comparisons it can’t match, a bold move that’s either genius or hubris, like Siliya winking at jazz nerds while shredding fuzz. It’s a gem for Zamrock devotees, but don’t expect it to convert disco fans.

Giant Steps is a cornerstone of Zamrock, capturing Zambia’s 1970s youth culture and post-independence struggles, as Now-Again’s Welcome to Zamrock! details. Its fusion of African rhythms and psychedelic rock, per Forced Exposure, parallels global movements like Brazil’s Black Rio, blending cultural pride with musical innovation. For scholars, it’s a case study in DIY music scenes, as Journal of the American Musicological Society might argue, demanding analysis of African rock’s socio-political context. Its reissues by Shadoks and others, per Nasoni Records, have sparked a Zamrock revival, introducing Siliya to fans of Afro-rock and psych, per LPCDreissues. It’s a testament to a scene that thrived against odds, like a fuzz-guitar phoenix rising from Zambia’s economic ashes.

Contemporary reviews of Giant Steps are absent, given its small-scale release on Chris Editions, but its 2018 Shadoks reissue earned praise. Rate Your Music gives it 3.63/5, with users calling it a “Zamrock classic,” while Discogs rates it 4.71/5, praising its “beautiful compositions”. Forced Exposure hails its “catchy” songs and “fuzz guitars,” noting you’ll “sing these in your sleep,” per. LPCDreissues calls it a “sugar & spice” album, ideal for Ngozi Family fans, while Nasoni Records emphasizes its “underground moods”. Rappcats celebrates its “razor-sharp guitars” and Tembo’s drums, tying it to Zamrock’s legacy. Original vinyls are “impossible to find,” fetching high prices, per Discogs, making reissues a godsend.

The album’s legacy lies in its role as a Zamrock pinnacle, showcasing Siliya’s singular vision and the Ngozi Family’s raw power, per Forced Exposure. Its rediscovery has fueled interest in Zambia’s ‘70s scene, influencing Afro-rock revivalists and psych collectors, as Now-Again notes. Siliya’s sole album, like a comet that blazed once, remains a cult treasure, proving Zamrock’s global resonance, even if 1978’s world was too disco-drunk to notice.

Giant Steps is a Zamrock masterpiece, a fuzz-charged, rhythm-driven celebration of Zambia’s spirit, led by Jesper Siliya Lungu’s soulful vocals and backed by the Ngozi Family’s raw power. Tracks like “Tandizo Ni Labwino” and “Giant Step” are infectious anthems, blending African beats with political fire, per LPCDreissues. Its lo-fi grit and sparse credits add mystique, though they might irk perfectionists, as Rate Your Music suggests. In 1978, when disco and punk ruled, Siliya and crew crafted a revolution in Lusaka’s shadows, like a fuzz-guitar uprising the world ignored—until now. The Shadoks reissue, per Forced Exposure, is a gift to psych and Afro-rock fans, proving Zamrock’s enduring kick.

So, grab the vinyl, crank up “Hot Do,” and let Siliya’s riffs transport you to a Kitwe club where the fuzz is thick and the rebellion thicker. Just don’t expect the mainstream to catch up; they’re still trying to disco their way out of 1978. And if anyone calls it “just African rock,” tell them it’s a giant step toward freedom.