Yange Yange Arts is a Wagogo cultural group from the central Tanzanian region around the city of Dodoma. Tanzania has some 12 ethnic groups none of which accounts for more than a few percent of the overall population so there is no dominant ethnic culture or sound. That said the one Tanzanian musical genre to have achieved worldwide fame is the distinctly Wagogo music of the late Dr. Hukwe Zawose (1938-2003), one of Peter Gabriel’s favorite musicians and patron of Chibite group who have also performed twice already at the festival.
Zawose refined Wagogo instruments particularly the deep-toned hollow ilimba (thumb piano) and the zeze (bowed fiddle) with its beautiful otherworldly overtones.
Yange Yange Arts performed at the very first Sauti za Busara festival in 2004.
Yange Yange Arts Group’s declared mission is to uplift disabled artists in the Dodoma region. They feature both able-bodied and handicapped musicians and dancers. The group has played in arts festivals as far away as Ivory Coast, Holland and Sweden.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
