Gasper Nali Band | Malawi

Gasper Nali has been something of an internet phenomenon since 2015, when an old video of his song "Abale Ndikuwuzeni" went viral on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, and has surpassed 20 million views.

As a child, Gasper had a band with his two brothers. They traveled around and played. At first he was the one who collected the coins, later he was allowed to play too. When he lost both brothers in 2002, he continued as a one-man band and played his homemade babatoni. He plays with a stick in one hand and an empty bottle in the other, used as a guitar slide. The rhythm comes from a powerful bass drum covered with cowhide, driven by an advanced foot pedal. The result is an intense and driving sound, which fills the room by itself.

The 2015 video brought Gasper into contact with music producer Mattias Stålnacke, and he got the song released on Spare Dog Records. Since then, he has released two critically acclaimed albums, toured the world, and gained a global fan base. And now he is coming to Norway for the first time.

Gasper's music has its roots in the Kwela tradition, a musical style that emerged in South Africa in the early 20th century, where local musical traditions were mixed with the music of Malawian migrant workers. Later, the style returned to Malawi with musicians returning home.

Gasper has taken this legacy further, transforming the babaton into an accompanying instrument, and itself the engine of a completely unique musical style.

Gasper Nali – babatoni, vocals

Luhangah – percussion, vocals

Mattias Stålnacke - guitar