A Master of the Bongo music industry

Joachim Kimaryo a.k.a Master J,  two time winner of the Kili Music Awards 2004, 2007 and judge of a talent search show ‘Bongo Star Search,’  is a music producer who is well known for his  skills in music production. Over the past several years he has worked on projects  with  bands such as Twanga pepeta, Diamond and the  Kijitonyama Choir on their hit song, ‘Hakuna Mungu kama wewe.’

Although he holds a  degree in electronic engineering, his passion for music saw him venture into the industry as a music producer, his discography today  places him among the top music producers in the country whose production skills are yet to be seen. 

He recently had a chat with the beat, sharing his knowledge and experience as a music producer, looking at where he started, his influence in the Bongo Flava we have today and what he has to offer to aspiring young musicians basing on his long-term experience in the music industry. 

Tell us about the origins of MJ Record?

Well the MJ Record we know of today has a bit of long  history. It started in 1996 in a container after a lot of resistance from my parents, especially my late father who was against my dream. With a degree in electronic engineering, it was my parents’ wish to see me secure a job in prominent places such as Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO), which of course, I never saw myself doing. I had other interests, and that was music. I knew what I wanted to do even when I was still pursuing  my first degree.  Because I wanted to build a career in the music industry, I took a course in sound engineering in 1993 .And in order to raise the money for the project I wanted to establish once I returned home, I had to work to earn some money. I worked in kitchens and the money I got I spent it on music instruments and equipment for a studio.

I brought my parents a degree, but I told them what I wanted to do promising them that if things didn’t  work out  then I will do what they wanted me to do and get a nine to five job. It was hard to convince them, but I did what I believe was best for me. In 1996 I officially opened MJ production.

What has your role been in shaping the Bongo Flava we know of today?

After retiring in 2005, I have remained the owner of the studio, giving the front seat to other talented producers to influence the Bongo music culture. But I knew there was a role I needed to play to make sure that the industry was growing; that’s why when I was approached  by Madam Ritta to be a judge at Bongo Star Search, I knew that I could use my experience to  groom new talents. Also when I started the studio, I did some of my first projects for free.  One person who I must acknowledge played a big role in promoting the Bongo Flava market was Mr Kusaga of Clouds fm. He told me that if I could record music from some bands and other genres, he would play them in his radio station. From there things changed. I got a lot of projects and from there I started charging musicians Sh 5,000. That was in 1998 .

Why are female artistes still not making the cut? 

Well we have quite a number of female artistes who are  doing a great job,  for instance lady Jay Dee. To be able to survive in the game one needs to have a heart made of stone; something that many  female artistes are lacking. There is also pressure from producers, managers and even radio presenters on these female artistes to use their bodies in order to climb up the industry. Not knowing what they want is a big issue that makes female artistes not survive for long in the game. If you give up your body once or twice men will just get tired of you  and what happens next is that you will end up doing the same thing to more than one producer or presenter and once they get tired of you that will be the end of your professional career.  Women who are doing music should learn to respect themselves and believe that they can do it even without sleeping with a manager or a producer .

Why do Tanzanian artists fail to make it internationally?

The biggest issue here is about creativity. Let’s take a look at two African countries: South Africa and Nigeria. These two countries have been doing wonders in the music industry and on international level. They use their own language  and their own style, we don’t understand what they are saying  but we can still enjoy their music.

They have created their own identity based on sound and their language. So apart from the issue of creativity, it is also about the mindset, a  belief that  without a certain musician, say Diamond or Ali Kiba the music industry will be nothing is not right.  

And the language issue. Some artistes believe that for them to make it big in the industry, both in and outside the country they have to sing in the English Language. They need to understand that it is not an  issue of language but creativity.

Do you think we have competent  producers who can take our music to the level we wish to be?

We have a lot of music producers, even the number of studios is increasing day in day out 

I remember back then when starting up a studio cost up to Sh 10,000,000 million and above, as  an initial amount for setting up a studio.  But today the case is different, with just one million shillings you can open a studio because the technology has advanced. Back then you had to have a lot of machines but now all that has been simplified.

Because of that, some of these music producers don’t have what it takes for them to be called producers. We have very few music producers who really have the skills, the likes of Mika Mwamba, P. Funk are very few. They have certificates in sound engineering, that’s why when you take their mixing you can see a difference.

Today, a  song  that we used to make costing Sh 800, 000 up to 900,000 can be  produced  for Sh 100,000, up to Sh 200, 000; sometimes it can be done for free. Or let’s say an artist who is paid up to Sh 9, 000, 000 million for a show can  spend only Sh 20, 000 to record his music .

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