Msindaba Jazz Band – Msindaba Jazz Band (Imetoka Collective, 2026)
Dar es Salaam ensemble Msindaba Jazz Band recently released its self-titled debut EP. The four-track project marks what the label describes as the first publicly available recordings of tarumbeta music from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The six-member group extracts its powerful, joyful and engaging sound from Tanzania’s long-standing brass band traditions, particularly the celebratory music heard at weddings and public gatherings throughout the city. In Dar es Salaam, tarumbeta bands often accompany bridal processions through the streets, performing from buses transporting wedding guests before continuing at the ceremony venue itself.
“We perform mostly at celebrations and especially weddings,” bandleader Salum said. “Our job is to make everyone dance and bring that extra bit of mzuka (exuberant happiness) to the day.”
Tarumbeta traces its roots to the colonial era in German East Africa between 1885 and 1918. German military bands introduced brass instruments and regimented percussion to the region. Subsequently, local musicians adapted those elements alongside indigenous ngoma rhythms, creating a distinctly East African brass band tradition.
At the time, the music became known as Beni, a localized pronunciation of the English word “band.” Over time, the style adopted additional names, including Benibati and Matarumbeta, the latter derived from the Kiswahili word for trumpets and other wind instruments.
Msindaba Jazz Band combines those historical foundations with contemporary performance practices rooted in improvisation and audience interaction. The ensemble features Salum Omary Mkoba on hand drums, Hassan Ally Magoma on smaller percussion, Eliapenda Elly Chole on trumpet, Juma Hamisi Lupendo on snare drums, Florian Evarist Masilu on cymbals, and Shaban Hamisi Lupendo on secondary percussion.
According to the group, the spontaneous nature of tarumbeta performance has historically made studio recording difficult. However, the band said the EP sessions preserved the conversational energy usually associated with weddings, graduations, and community celebrations.
“This is not the debut of a new group, but the first recorded expression of years — decades — of lived experience and generational knowledge,” Salum said. “What you will hear is music that has never before been captured by microphones or in studios.”
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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.