Tarumbeta has deep historical roots in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The musical genre initially appeared during the colonial period in what was then known as German East Africa (1885–1918). The Germans had neocolonial aspirations in East Africa, and they disembarked with a full military presence. Notably, as with any military troops of that era, they were accompanied by a brass band.
As a consequence, German military bands introduced brass musical instruments, parades, and marching band drumming. Local youth, fascinated by the exhibition of the military brass bands, combined these sounds with indigenous musical traditions. Indeed, young musicians embraced the new sounds and added elements of their own traditional local ngoma rhythms. For this reason, a long history of Tanzanian brass band music was born. The folk practice consolidated in the years following the Maji Maji Rebellion (1905–1907), as the German military presence continued to grow and brass bands became a familiar sight in towns throughout German East Africa.
During that period the music was called Beni, a local pronunciation of the English word “band.” Over the years, the genre was known under many names. In some groups currently, it is called Benibati (bati refers to the brass element of the band). In other circles, it is known as Matarumbeta (trumpets), a term used to refer to all blowing instruments.
Typically, weddings in Dar es Salaam feature tarumbeta bands. Before a wedding party in Dar es Salaam, a tarumbeta ensemble regularly accompanies the bride and groom as they travel through the city on the way to their wedding ceremony. The band hang out of the windows of the buses carrying the couple’s guests. The sound of their music announces the imminent celebration to everyone along the way. When the couple arrives at the venue the band walks out of the vehicle and move through the crowd, encouraging people to dance.
Salum Omary Mkoba, the group’s leader, stated: “We perform mostly at celebrations and especially weddings. Our job is to make everyone dance and bring that extra bit of mzuka (exuberant happiness) to the day.“
In 2026, Msindaba Jazz Band captured this festive spirit in their self-titled Msindaba Jazz Band EP, released by Imetoka Collective and produced by Enrico Figueiredo at Sound Crafters Studio, Dar es Salaam. Msindaba Jazz Band is a six-member outfit from Dar es Salaam. The four tracks on this EP are believed to be the first recordings of this form of Tanzanian brass band music from Dar es Salaam ever made publicly available.
“This is not the debut of a new group, but the first recorded expression of years — decades — of lived experience and generational knowledge,” added Salum. “What you will hear is music that has never before been captured by microphones or in studios. We make our music for the moment, for the celebration, and for the people gathered together. We hope when you hear this you are going to get a flavor of a party on the streets of Dar es Salaam.”
Source: Msindaba Jazz Band.
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.