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  Zanzibar, Tanzania - The next edition of Sauti za Busara
(Sounds of Wisdom) Swahili Music Festival will be taking place Thursday 10th to
Sunday 13th February, 2005. The main venue for this year’s festival is again in
historic Stone Town: the grassy side of Zanzibar’s Old Fort (“Mambo Club”)
facing Forodhani Gardens and overlooking the Indian Ocean. Fittingly described
by Ian Anderson in fROOTS magazine as “the big club venue most world music
festival organizers would die for”. Freshly grilled prawns, octopus, squid,
fish kebabs are all prepared on site, with a bar and stalls selling local
crafts.
The main aim of the festival is to showcase the wealth and diversity of Swahili
music and we are proud to announce that many of East Africa’s finest groups are
confirmed to participate:
From East Africa
Dance/ Guitar bands:
The
Kilimanjaro Band (“Wananjenje”), Zanzibar Moonlight Jazz Band
Music Fusion: Saida Karoli, Manyani Nani, Sisi Tambala
Hip Hop and Urban Music: Juma Nature & Wanaume, Wazenji Kijiwe, Klear Kut, Stara
Thomas, Solo Thang, BTB, DJ Saleh
Taarab & Kidumbak: Nadi Ikhwan Safaa (Malindi Taarab), Culture Musical Club,
Segere Original, Sosoliso Kidumbak, Zein l’Abdin Trio, DCMA Student Group
Ngoma & Traditional Music:
Bi
Kidude, Chibite Group, Beni ya Kilua, Black Roots, Jagwa Music (Mchiriku),
Hiyari ya Moyowo (Kirumbizi), Imani Ngoma, Matimba Arts, Ngoma ya Kibati,
Kidutani & Jang’ombe Nursery Schools
Religious Sufi Music: Maulidi ya Homu ya Mtendeni
Theatre, Comedy, Acrobatics: Jambo Brothers, Halikuniki Comedy Group
From the rest of the world:
El Tanbura Group (Egypt), Seiyun Popular Arts (Yemen), Imena (Rwanda), Ndeef
Leng (Senegal), Pamuzinda (Zimbabwe). The final festival program is pending.
100% of confirmations will be published at the end of January.
 Guest of Honor for 2005 Festival is
Bi
Kidude, Zanzibar’s 93-year old cultural ambassador, traditional healer and
bare-foot diva of taarab and unyago ngoma, who has been traveling the world to
sing, drum and entertain since the 1920s.
Ticker Information: Free admission to all before 8pm daily (standing room only).
After 8pm, residents 500/-TSh (US$0.50) (standing room only). After 8pm,
non-residents 1,000/- TSh (US $1) (standing room only). VIP Daily Pass 5,000/-
(US $5) (with seating). VIP All Festival Pass (4 Days) 10,000/- (US $10) (with
seating).
[Photo 2 of Bi Kidude at a previous edition of the festival].
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