The annual Sauti za Busara festival is known for its
presentation of off the track musicians and this year they did not
disappoint.
The theme for this year’s festival was
“Love live music’’ and it was more of a political statement to the music
industry in the region, and in Tanzania in particular, where mainstream
radio and TV hardly features the music of musicians featured in this
festival.
One such artiste is Emmanuel Mopao of Mopao
Swahili Jazz. He was visibly excited to have been invited and said “It
is my first time performing as a solo artiste at this festival, and I
have always wanted to have my music played here. This is a platform with
international networks and live music is played to international
standards.”
Emmanuel has over 13 years experience playing the live music circuit in Tanzania and last year he launched his album titled Taswira. His music features the harmonica, a typical jazz music instrument combined with the ‘sebene’ and ngoma rhythms.
The audience was simply hypnotised by the music.
Miriam Makeba-era
Festival master of ceremony for the past seven years Carola
Kinasha, a musician too, said at a pre-concert briefing that there were
currently over 25 music instruments in Tanzania which are either not
being played anymore or unknown in mainstream music platforms.
Ms
Kinasha (and other independent musicians) found this when she was
involved in a research back in 1987 to 1989, in a project called
‘Watafiti’ sponsored by the Netherlands embassy.
“When
Mori Kante’s ‘Yeke Yeke’ came out, it was an instant hit despite using
the Kora. It became an international hit. This was the era of Miriam
Makeba and Manou Gallo and Tanzanian musicians had few options then. We
either played the tourist hotel circuit or joined the dance music
circuit. But these music icons inspired us to find options,” Ms Kinasha
added.
The Watafiti project took them to most regions
of Tanzania and found music instruments unique to communities there and
some have since stopped being made.
For example she
said: “In Kigoma region we were told of a very heavy drum used to summon
villagers for community gatherings, but it is no longer being made. We
also travelled to Zimbabwe where we met Oliver Mtukudzi making unique
music before he became famous.”
The Watafiti project is credited with building the profile and success of legendary bands in Tanzania like the TatuNane and concluded that Dodoma had enough unique instruments to rendition orchestra music without modern instruments.
The Watafiti project is credited with building the profile and success of legendary bands in Tanzania like the TatuNane and concluded that Dodoma had enough unique instruments to rendition orchestra music without modern instruments.
At
the Busara festival, Sinaubi Zawose and the Spirit Group showcased this
when the only modern instrument they had was the drum-set.
The
rest of the instruments were traditional such as the Zeze Kubwa, a
Kora-like instrument native to East Africa. They got everyone on their
feet dancing.
Black Panther
Black Panther
From
West Africa with their traditional instruments were Mamy Kanoute, a
seasoned musician from Senegal (her music featured in the movie Black Panther’s soundtrack together with Baaba Maal) with whom she has toured with for many years. She has also performed with Youssou N’dour.
“I
have been singing since I was six years old, being from a large griot
family. I never learned music, I was born into it, it’s in my blood.”
Her performance was lilting, her sound a West African signature with powerful vocals.
“In
Senegal musicians are respected for playing traditional music; I would
advise other African musicians to stay true to their roots. You can make
some fusion but remember where you’re from. I look up to musicians like
Youssou N’dour, Cheikh Lô, Salif Keita who are making traditional music
modern.”
At a pre-concert performance in Dar es
Salaam, Thaïs Diarra and Noumoucounda (Mamy Kanoute’s uncle) held a
workshop for Tanzanian artistes working with traditional music
instruments.
Noumoucounda’s prowess with the Kora is
special. He blended the instrument with Afro-Pop, Afro-Reggae and Afro
Soul with such ease.
Although they share Senegalese roots, Thaïs is from Mali.
From Kenya, Ambassa Mandela and the Last Tribe wowed the audience with their stage presence and refreshing Afro-Rock beat.
Chudo,
a percussionist with Ze Spirit Band of Bagamoyo performed with Mopao
Jazz and Mamy Kanoute, bringing his Djembe sound accompanied by the
Mtonya drum from southern Tanzania and northern Mozambique.
Festival director Yusuf Mahmoud said traditional instruments and sound are not given a fair hearing.
Zanzibari hospitality
“The
reason why this year we had the theme of ‘love live music’ is because
the problem is not just in Tanzania but across the continent. The music
that is on most platforms in Tanzania is so narrow in scope. And
stakeholders here will claim to be giving people what they want. Well
Sauti za Busara is showing that actually they are not. They are not
representing what people want, just maintaining the status quo.’’
He
said this makes Sauti unique and that despite the lack of a big-name
headlining artiste this year, attendance proved there was sufficient
interest in traditional sounds, thanks to the location and hospitality
of the Zanzibaris.
“The visitors may not have heard of many of the artistes in the line-up, but got to hear real great musical gems.”
True
enough, a new generation of contemporary East African musicians like
Siti and The Band, Apio Moro, Wakazi, Mapanya Band have an inspiring
body of work.
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