Zanzibar, Tanzania – The fifth edition of the Sauti za Busara music festival will take place in Old Fort, Stone Town, 7 – 10 February 2008. Admission is free to all each day before sunset.
The confirmed line up includes forty groups from East Africa and beyond: Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba (Mali), Winners of BBC World Music Awards Album of The Year 2007. Doubly nominated for Best Group (Africa) and Best Newcomer in BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards 2008.
Malouma (Mauritania) is genre-bending and provocative, the mystical voice of Mauritania spent August and September 2007 at Number 1 in World Music Charts Europe. Maalesh (Comoros) was named best Group, Indian Ocean, Prix Musiques de L’Ocean Indien Award, 2007-2008.
Other artists featuring in the 2008 festival include: Seckou Keita Quartet + (West Africa / Europe), Bi Kidude (Zanzibar), Bantu & Afrobeat Academy Band (West Africa / Europe), Yunasi (Kenya), Bring the Noise! (Pan Africa), Ahmed el Salam (North Africa / Europe), Afrodynamix (West Africa / Europe), Celloman (Europe), National Taarab All Stars (Zanzibar), Maulidi ya Homu ya Mtendeni (Zanzibar), Eric Wainaina & the Mapinduzi Band (Kenya), Nfithe (Mozambique), N’faly Kouyaté and Dunyakan (West Africa / Various), Sakaki Mango (Japan), TMK Majita Original (Tanzania), Maurice Kirya (Uganda), Mwana FA (Tanzania), Nako2Nako Soldiers (Tanzania), Jaymoe (Tanzania), Splendid Theatre (Tanzania), 7 Survival (Tanzania), Tibirinzi All Stars (Pemba), Z. Anto (Tanzania), Kassim (Tanzania), Madee (Tanzania), Jahazi Modern Taarab (Tanzania), Mrisho Mpoto (Tanzania), Black Roots (Zanzibar), Akhenaton Family (Zanzibar), Moto Combat (Kigoma cha Uchokozi) (Tanzania), Kiki Taarab (Zanzibar), Yange Yange Trio (Tanzania), Jakamoyo (Tanzania), Kijiji Family The Big Nation (Zanzibar), and more to be announced.
The main stage is constructed in between banana trees, inside the ancient walls of the Old Fort in Stone Town, a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site. Performances continue non-stop from 4pm to 1am daily. The venue will host two festival bars, kiosks selling meals and snacks, local and international music, clothes and local handicrafts.
Sauti za Busara (Sounds of Wisdom) welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds. It is organised by Busara Promotions, a non-profit cultural NGO based in Zanzibar.
See www.busaramusic.org for latest information.
Author: World Music Central News Room
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