Skylight Band – Pasua Twende
https://amf.didiermary.fr/pasua-twende-skylight-band/
Skylight Band from Tanzania (not to be confused with a Rock band in South Africa) was a group of young musicians and singers, active from 2012 to 2020.
Hukwe Zawose – Chibite (1996)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/hukwe-zawose-album-chibite-1996/
Hukwe Zawose was a prominent Tanzanian musician.
He played the ilimba, a large lamellophone similar to the mbira, as well as several other traditional instruments.
Enchanting, innovative songs from Tanzania’s national treasure, using the vital tools of his musical ancestors: thumb piano, fiddle flute and voice. There is a Swahili proverb, “Muziki Ni Chakula Cha Roho,” […]
Discover Jagwa Music
https://amf.didiermary.fr/jagwa-music/
A kind of Punk music to dance to… Jagwa Music, live from the streets of Dar Es Salaam, the latest sensation from Tanzania. Straight from Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), here’s Jagwa Music: a crew of 8 youngsters playing intricate grooves at breakneck speed on traditional & makeshift percussion, a keyboard player going wild on a […]
Taarab from Tanzania and Kenya
https://amf.didiermary.fr/taarab-from-tanzania-and-kenya/
Taarab is a music genre popular in Tanzania and Kenya. Here, the singer is Bi Kidude, the Zanzibari star, the Queen of Taarab (RIP).
Her exact date of birth is unknown, much of her life story is uncorroborated, giving her an almost mythical status.
In interviews, she usually answers she’s 100 years old or more… […]
Bi Kidude – Alalminadura
https://amf.didiermary.fr/bi-kidude-alalminadura/
“Alalminadura” is the opening song (extract) from the documentary As Old As My Tongue, about Bi Kidude and Taarab music in Zanzibar.
She performs one of her most famous songs on board the dhow Asraa, accompanied by Matona (oud), Abeid Hussein (dumbak) and Mohamed Outhman (violin). […]
I met Bi Kidude, The Venerable Queen of Taarab, in February 2011, when attending Sauti za Busara Festival in Zanzibar. We spent a delightful moment backstage…
She passed away in 2013.
https://amf.didiermary.fr/bi-kidude-rip/
What's hot in #Tanzania in 2025...
Zuchu – Hujanizidi Feat. D Voice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68__GT8TSAw
Jamaica Mnanda - Maisha Ya Mtaani
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnfn0TO5bB0
Going back to the DIY 90s Tanzanian musical genre called Mchiriku, born when affordable keyboards reshaped Dar’s music scene.
From his debut EP released 2 weeks ago...
Emmanuel Jal, Vanessa Mdee, Juliani & Syssi Mananga – Tusimame
https://amf.didiermary.fr/emmanuel-jal-vanessa-mdee-juliani-syssi-mananga-tusimame/
South Sudan’s Emmanuel Jal, the internationally acclaimed recording artist and inspiring humanitarian has joined forces with some of music’s biggest stars, including Tanzania’s Vanessa Mdee, Congo’s Syssi Mananga and Kenya’s Juliani in the making of Tusimame, a pan-African musical stand against the destruction of Africa’s elephants [...]
Tunaweza Music Band – Dar es Salaam
https://amf.didiermary.fr/tunaweza-music-band/
Tunaweza Music Band, based in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and formed in 2008, has 13-15 members now, majority of whom are physically disabled or albinos.
They chose the name TUNAWEZA to make a point: it translates roughly as ‘Yes We Can’.
“Our aims are to help ourselves by earning a living through doing something creative […]
From the vault: 2022
Africa comes to Real World: revisiting albums by six legendary artists
https://realworldrecords.com/features/long-reads/africa-comes-to-real-world-revisiting-albums-by-six-legendary-artists/
https://realworldrecords.com/news/new-reissue-series-africa-sessions-at-real-world-out-this-june/
#Africa #RealWorld #AfricanMusic #Tanzania #BurkinaFaso #Morocco #Nigeria #Senegal #SierraLeone
Mbaraka Mwinshehe & Orchestra Super Volcano – Masika Mtindo Mpya
https://amf.didiermary.fr/mwinshehe-super-volcano-masika-mtindo-mpya/
Orchestra Super Volcano is the band formed in Kenya by Mbaraka Mwinshehe when he relocated there from Tanzania.
Fun insight... Which country do people come from, who visit the AMF blog... (last 3 months - Top5 - Google Search only)
1 - #Nigeria
2 - #USA
3 - #Tanzania
4 - #France
5 - #Uganda
Thunderdrum ft. Tiggs Da Author
'UKOMBOZI - Epic Version'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTPXsIuG7vo
From the Original Game Soundtrack for Assassin's Creed: Shadows.
More on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/33tbIhTN0pPT0Kx6NxWv0R
⚡️ Today we published a new research report on the ongoing blocking of X/Twitter in #Tanzania, which started in May 2025.
OONI data indicates that ISPs employ several censorship techniques, suggesting a “defense in depth” approach to censorship.
Learn more: https://ooni.org/post/2025-tanzania-blocked-twitter/ 🐙
#ooni #censorship #opensource #opendata
Nyege Nyege Tapes – Music for the Eagles
https://amf.didiermary.fr/nyege-nyege-tapes-music-eagles/
East African Underground shows a group of innovative artists throughout the region, trying to build a creative community and share their future-forward music, pushing boundaries.
“Music for the Eagles” is one of their experiments. From the Horn down to Mozambique – visionary music runs deep across East Africa.
#Kenya #Mixtape #Nigeria #SouthAfrica #Tanzania #Uganda #Electro #Rap
First Modern Taarab Vibes
https://amf.didiermary.fr/first-modern-taarab-vibes/
Black Star Musical Club was one of the classic Taarabu bands in Tanga, Tanzania. It was founded in the 1950s, and played a crucial role in establishing the modern Taarab sound.
Taarab is a music genre popular in Tanzania and Kenya. It is influenced by […]
#70smusic #80smusic #Kenya #Taarab #Tanzania #OldAfricanMusic
Singeli, most frenetic music?
https://amf.didiermary.fr/singeli-frenetic-music-tanzania/
Discover the Singeli Sound – a frenetic sometimes 300BPM strain of dance music echoing throughout Dar es Salaam. […]
The Zawose Queens
https://amf.didiermary.fr/zawose-queens-maisha/
The Zawose Queens, Pendo and Leah Zawose, reconnect to the musical tradition of the late Dr Hukwe Zawose (Pendo’s father and Leah’s grandfather).
"There is spirit and fire in the music of The Zawose Queens. There’s the vibrations of the ancestors, coming through on traditional instruments — soaring chizeze fiddle, buzzing illimba thumb piano, ngoma […]
Culture Musical Club & Bi Kidude – Jua Toka
https://amf.didiermary.fr/culture-musical-club-bi-kidude-jua-toka/
Culture Musical Club, Zanzibar’s premier Taarab club, won the Songs For Peace competition at Sauti za Busara 2015.
2 videos with Bi Kidude, live at Afrikafestival Hertme 2009: “On its tours the club regularly features invited guest singers. The summer 2009 included the legendary Bi Kidude, the veteran diva of Zanzibar, who was in her […]
Hailing from Arusha, #Tanzania, Frida Amani is known for her unique blend of Afro-fusion, Hip-Hop and more traditional sounds.
Her 2021 release “Madam President,” advocating female empowerment and encouraging young women to aspire for leadership roles, such as the presidency, earned her an invitation to the Tanzanian State House, where she was recognized by the President of Tanzania as the “Madam President” of rap.
Turunesh – Cigarette
https://amf.didiermary.fr/turunesh-cigarette/
Turunesh is an Experimental Neo Afro Soul Singer-Songwriter of Tanzanian & Ethiopian origin. Having grown up in Tanzania, her East African roots dictated the creation and development of her alternative style of music.
