Artists

Originating from Pemba Island, Brain Boy’s sound is inspired by traditional Taarab musicians like Makame Faki and Mohammed Isa Matona. In hearing his natural deep voice, he has been nick-named ‘Makame Faki Jr’ - the King of Kidumbaki.

Brain Boy creates a fusion of traditional Taarab and Kidumbaki with a new read more

'Kidum' is the name given to a 20-litre jerry can in Kirundi, the official language spoken in Burundi. His mother gave him that nickname due to his chubbiness as a child. Ironically, Kidum (whose ‘real’ name is Jean-Pierre Nimbona) taught himself to play the drums by practicing on read more

Kidumbak is among the most popular traditional music styles of Zanzibar. With its roots in the taarab traditions and heavy emphasis on the rhythmic aspect, for local people it makes the music highly infectious and danceable.

Kidumbak is often performed at Zanzibar weddings, birthdays, beach parties and other joyous read more

Back in the 1950s and 60s many regions in Zanzibar including the streets of Stone Town had at least one taarab or kidumbak group. Sadly few remain. However, in the village of Mahonda, on the main road north from Zanzibar Town, since 1993 the KIKI Kidumbaki group has been alive read more

Music lovers everywhere are mourning the loss of legendary musician Makame Faki Makame, who died in Zanzibar, on January 18, 2020, at the age of 77.

Makame Faki needs no introduction, being one of Culture Musical Club's most revered singer-songwriters of Zanzibari taarab music. With his own read more

Almost a century ago, Zanzibari singer Siti Binti Saad reimagined what had been formal court music into a private form of improvisation, laced with a spirit of inclusivity that combined Arabic and Swahili lyrics. In doing so, she paved the way for other female taarab singers, including Bi Kidude.

In turn, read more