Artists

Launched at Zanzibar’s Dhow Countries Music Academy (DCMA) in 2014 and comprising of DCMA teachers and students, the Taarab - Kidumbak Group was formed to participate in a competition to tour in America. Since then, they participated in three highly acclaimed tours in the summer of 2015. The first read more

Get down and dance to the new beats of the shubidu shubidu style!

Playing "muziki wa dansi", modern guitar music from Tanzania and "mduara" East African coastal rhythms, Tamarind Band was established early in 2005. The group, featuring 14 members, has already made enormous impact largely thanks to the guidance of read more

This exciting experimental collaboration, only recently established in 2011, is one of its kind, lead by talented Zanzibari musician and composer Juma Begu. The tandaa is a traditional flute, similar to the zumari. It is typically played alongside ngoma drums in the island’s umundi dance, used to purge evil read more

TaraJazz, Zanzibar. This exciting young band of musical explorers is on a mission, improvising, sharing and responding to new sounds. At the group’s core is jazz, real, live and uncompromising. This is a unique blend that brings elements of Zanzibari taarab with its Arabic, African and Eastern influences and rhythmical read more

Tarbia group was founded in Zanzibar in 1985. They are based at a local madrasa where they practice qasida (Islamic praise music) using dufu (hand-held frame drum) and other drums. They are highly respected among the island's Muslim community for their singing and melodies. The group performs at religious as read more

Tausi Women’s Taarab presents a revolution in a very traditional genre: Zanzibar’s first all-female taarab orchestra where all the instruments are played by women and accompanied by women singers.

The Tausi Taarab orchestra was formed in 2009 and presents music in the tradition of classical taarab style. Dating back read more