Blog August 12, 2005
Discography: East African Taarab
Some of the recordings in this program come from Kelly Askew's private recording. Her book, "Performing the Nation" comes with an excellent CD full of rare recordings. Two of the pieces in this show were recorded by Afropop Worldwide in Zanzibar. However, there are lots of great taarab recordings available. Here's a good start.
Here are a list of albums heard on Afropop Worldwide's East African Taarab:
Culture Musical Club "Taarab 4: The Music Of Zanzibar" (GlobeStyle 1989)
Various artists "Music From Tanzania And Zanzibar 2" (Caprice 1997)
Various artists "Songs The Swahili Sing" (Original Music)
Various artists "The Secret Museum Of Mankind" Music of East Africa (Yazoo 1998)
Kidumbak Kalcha "Ng'ambo-the Other Side Of Zanzibar" (Dizim Records 1997)
Bi Kidude "Zanzibar" (RetroAfric 1998)
Various artists "The Tanzania Sound" (Original Music)
Black Star Musical Club, Lucky Star Musical Club "Nyota" (GlobeStyle 1989)
Zuhura Swaleh, Maulidi Musical Party "Jino La Pembe" (GlobeStyle 1992)
Zein L'Abdin "The Swahili Song Book" (Dizim Records 1999)
Also look for these recommended titles.
Various artists "Zanzibar: Soul & Rhythm" (great double CD featuring taarab, kidumbak, and Bi Kidude!) (Jahazi Media 2003)
Various artists "Taarab 3: The Music Of Zanzibar" (GlobeStyle 1990)
Ikhwani Safaa Musical club "Taarab 2: The Music Of Zanzibar" Ikhwani Safaa Musical Club (GlobeStyle 1998)
Various artists "Taarab 1: The Music Of Zanzibar" Seif Salim Saleh & Abdullah Mussa Ahmed (GlobeStyle 1999)
Malika "Tarabu" (Shanachie 1997)
Culture Musical Club "Spices Of Zanzibar" : Mila na Utamaduni (Network Medien 1996)
Zein Musical Party "The Style Of Mombasa" (GlobeStyle 1990)
Maulidi Musical Party "Mombasa Wedding Special" (GlobeStyle 1990)
Culture Musical Club "Waridi" Culture Musical Club formed in 1958, and as this 2003 recording makes abundantly clear, they remain formidable. The club still has 60 active members, and in this session recorded at club's headquarters in the Vuga section of Stone Town, the ease and atmo (Virgin, Jahazi Media 2003)
