Taking the islands and coastal areas of Tanzania mainland by storm, Mashauzi Classic Modern Taarab is one of Tanzania’s leading groups playing the upbeat, and widely popular, genre of “modern taarab”.

Emerging in the 1990s modern taarab, is a far cry from its “classical taarab” counterpart, played on acoustic instruments filled with double meanings and Swahili poetical nuance. Modern Taarab instead is renowned for its overt lyrical content, electronic instrumentation, keyboard dexterity and upbeat tempo. The genre continues to cause much controversy among the older generation and instrumentalists playing the traditional form, many of whom claim “it is not taarab at all”. And yet it is immensely popular with the younger generation especially women, largely due to the direct messages and pop beats, making it very danceable.

Mashauzi Classic Modern Taarab established just last year in 2011 by two of Tanzania’s well-loved musicians, singer Isha Ramadhani and keyboardist, Thabit Abdul, was an immediate sensation for modern taarab fans, due to their provocative lyrics and dancing style.

Isha Ramadhani, more commonly known as Isha Mashauzi, has sung with quite a variety of groups including Segere Original. With encouragement from Juma Mbizo she joined Jahazi Modern Taarab in 2007, where she became famed for the hit songs “Hayanifiki” and “Yawenzenu Midomoni”. In 2010, she released her first solo album Mama Nipe Radhi. During this time, Thabit Abdul joined Jahazi Modern Taarab and together they started preparations to establish their own group, now known as Mashauzi Classic. Thabit Abdul is a well known keyboardist and has played many of Tanzania’s best loved groups including Extra Bongo, All Star Modern Taarab, TOT, Jahazi Morden Taarab and African Stars Band (aka Twanga Pepeta).