Sauti za Busara Music Festival 2011, the Best of East Africa and Beyond

For five days during 9 – 13 February the main stage in Zanzibar’s Old Fort showcases live performances with around forty of the finest music groups from East Africa and beyond.

From Wednesday through till Sunday, around eight groups perform each day. Big names rub shoulders with upcoming artists. Thirty of the best music groups of Zanzibar, Tanzania and East Africa shares the stage with another dozen groups representing Mozambique, South Africa, La Réunion, Mauritius, Cameroon, Benin, Guinea Conakry and Senegal.

Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou (Benin) Blick Bassy (Cameroon) Otentikk Street Brothers (Mauritius) African Stars Band (aka Twanga Pepeta) (Tanzania) Mlimani Park Orchestra (Tanzania) Kwani Experience (South Africa) Culture Musical Club (Zanzibar) Bi Kidude (Zanzibar) Jagwa Music (Tanzania) Mohamed Ilyas & Nyota Zameremeta (Zanzibar) Bismillahi Gargar (Kenya) Maulidi ya Homu ya Mtendeni (Zanzibar) Djeli Moussa Diawara (Guinea) Christine Salem (Reunion) Yaaba Funk (UK) Muthoni The Drummer Queen (Kenya) Jahazi Modern Taarab (Tanzania) Sinachuki Kidumbak (Zanzibar) Les Frères Sissoko (Senegal) Sousou & Maher Cissoko (Senegal / Sweden) Sukiafrica Sukiyaki Allstars (Pan Africa / Far East) Groove Lélé (Reunion) Vusa Mkhaya & Band (Zimbabwe / Various) Djaaka (Mozambique) Nomakanjani Arts (Zambia) Percussion Discussion Afrika (Uganda) Tunaweza Band (Tanzania) Staff Band Namasabo (Tanzania) Swahili Encounters Group (Zanzibar / Various) NEWS Quartet (Mauritania / Various) Lelelele Africa (Kenya) Atemi & the Ma3 Band (Kenya) Black Roots (Zanzibar) Sauda (Tanzania) Wanyambukwa Artist Group (Tanzania) Nyota Kali Band (Tanzania) Cross Border (Zanzibar) and more.

All music on the main stage is performed live. Shows start at 5:00pm, continuing virtually non-stop, with the final band taking to the stage around midnight. For local people, admission is free until 6:00pm, thereafter around €1 (one euro), see Tickets and Prices. More than 5,000 attend each day, with 75% people from the region and others from all over Africa, Asia, Europe and beyond.

More information at busaramusic.org/festivals/2011/index.php