The founding leader of the famous musical group Them Mushrooms, Ted Kalanda Harrison, has died at 72 years, bringing to an end a glittering chapter in Kenyan music history.
Kalanda died at his rural home in Kaloleni, Kilifi County, after losing a long battle with cancer.
The news was broken by John Katana, who took over the leadership of the band and is his younger brother, on Tuesday morning. He noted that the late Kalanda was an inspiration to many.
“It has been a long painful journey for our eldest brother who was a source of inspiration to all of us,” Katana said as he reminisced on the good times with the brother left behind.
Kalanda had been suffering from cancer since 2018 and was blind by the time of his death.
His contribution to music will be remembered in Kenya, especially the highlight song “Jambo Bwana,” which attained international status and has been covered by many artists both locally and abroad.
Kalanda, born into a musical family, founded Them Mushrooms in 1972 in Mombasa. At the time, it was one of the longest-surviving bands in Kenya. The founding members included his late brothers George Zirro and John Katana, Billy Sarro, and Denis Kalume.
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The band has, over the years, changed but retained their family base with Katana, Sarro, and a number of session musicians at the helm these days.
In the late 1980s, Them Mushrooms moved significantly from Mombasa to Nairobi, releasing the celebrated album “At the Carnivore.”
The band briefly changed to Uyoga Band in 2002 before returning to its original name. Their rich discography features beloved tracks like “Unkula Huu,” “Wazee Wakatike,” “Nyambura,” “Ndogo Ndogo,” and “Hapo Kale.”
To date, Kalanda’s legacy lives on through his family, especially his eldest son, Henry Harrison, a Sweden-based musician who is also married to a musician, Lioness Afreeka.
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