In the summer of 2011 I met and played with wonderful musicians from Zanzibar. The island, off the coast of Tanzania has long been a meeting point of Arabia, Africa and India and the traditional music ‘Taraab’ contains elements of each, although leans more to the Arabian side

I met a great Qanun (Arabian hand plucked horizontal harp) player, Rajab Suleiman in Stonetown, the island’s port town. We shared music and he showed me some basics in Qanun playing. I was introduced to the Dhow Countries Music Academy where he teaches and plays. This non profit organisation based in Stone Town offers a space to learn, record and rehearse for all musicians, with an emphasis on Taarab, Beni and Kidumbak styles.
A musicians collective based here invited me to accompany them for a concert they played in a restaurant on the island.
I also spent time here at the Culture music club, home to a well known Taarab orchestra of the same name. They were kind enough to let me sit in on their evening rehearsal and find out how the orchestra was led and its music arranged.