CULTURE MUSICAL CLUB (Zanzibar)

Imagine a stroll down Stone Town’s narrow alleys, mansions built of coral rag, intricately carved and brass-studded doors—witnesses of past glory—balconies high up to catch a tropical breeze, the aroma of spicy food, cloves, cardamom, pilipili, coconut-scented rice, the Muadhin’s calls for prayer at sunset. With all this you have got the visual and sensual equivalents to the leisurely sound of Swahili taarab, itself the result of hundreds of years of exchange of musical and poetic ideas across the Indian Ocean.

Drawing on influences from the Arab world, India Indonesia and the West, taarab blended these with the classical traditions of Swahili poetry, local rhythm and melody. Taarab orchestras resemble closely the classical Egyptian orchestras, with full violin section, cello and bass, but also accordion, oud, qanun, rhythm section and so forth.

Founded in 1958, the Culture Musical Club - in Swahili Mila na Utamanduni - is Zanzibar’s premier taarab club. The orchestra performs widely at concerts in Zanzibar town, but also frequently travels overland with a fold-up stage and an electricity generator to bring its music to the rural areas as well.

Besides taarab, many club members are also active in kidumbak groups, smaller ensembles that play a more down-home dance-focused music. Both types of music will be played on stage, contrasting the serene sound of orchestral taarab to the festive and sexually charged dance that is kidumbak.

The Band:
Rajab Suleiman qanun
Ali Hassan ‘ud, bandmaster
Kesi Juma violin
Ramadhani Khamis violin
Makame Faki vocals, violin
Taimur Rukun accordion
Maulidi Haj accordion
Mahmoud Juma double bass
Foum Faki bongos
Amour Haj dumbak
Rukia Ramadhani vocals
Saada Mohamed vocals, rika
Fatma Juma chorus, dance
Mgeni Khamis chorus, dance

A very special guest is the 93 year old Bi Kidude Baraka, an institution in Zanzibar and East Africa's greatest living musical legend. When asked if she could do such a long journey at her age she replied: "When I sing I feel like a 14-year old girl again. How could I stop singing and retire?"

| Thursday July 15th Stadsteatern 19.30 |