Artists

Yaaba Funk, renowned for tearing up dancefloors with their upbeat highlife, broken beats, funk, highly energised live set, are rightly known as South London's funkiest and most popular band.

The core members of Yaaba Funk met on the London African drum and read more

In the hot and dusty Gaza province of Mozambique there is a small lake called Ghorwane that never runs dry, even in the hottest season. In 1983, a group of young musicians in Maputo, took the name Ghorwane as they launched their musical career. Today they are one of Mozambique's read more

Ally Mohamed Ahmad, aka Z. Anto, was born in Dar es Salaam in 1988. In 2004 he approached Tiptop Connection, local producers of upcoming bongo flava artists, to give him a chance to record. They asked him to freestyle there and then but he failed the audition.

After a while he read more

There are many beni bands on the island but this group is one of the best, and a must for any festival. Beni turned the inspiration of colonial military brass bands into a completely local thing, by bringing it into the realm of song and dance competitions. Played mostly at read more

Rachel Magoola, born of music teacher parents, started singing at an early age. She joined the school choir aged seven and sang throughout her youth both at school and her local church. Rachel trained as a music teacher and taught for eleven years at Namasagali College, a secondary school and read more

Zimamoto (put out the fire!) is the name of one of Zanzibar's most talented traditional drum and dance (ngoma) groups. Literally based at the town's fire station, the group is comprised largely of firemen and firewomen.

The group was established only a couple of years ago but already have acquired an read more