Sauti za Busara (Sounds of Wisdom) Swahili Music Festival

By popular demand, here is an update for the many of you traveling to
Zanzibar for Sauti za Busara (Sounds of Wisdom) Swahili Music Festival,
taking place Thursday 10th to Sunday 13th February, 2005.

The main venue for this year’s festival is again in historic Stone Town:
the
grassy side of Zanzibar’s Old Fort (“Mambo Club”) facing Forodhani
Gardens
and overlooking the Indian Ocean. Fittingly described by Ian Anderson in
fROOTS magazine as “the big club venue most world music festival
organisers
would die for”. Freshly grilled prawns, octopus, squid, fish kebabs are
all
prepared on site, with a bar and stalls selling local crafts.

The main aim of the festival is to showcase the wealth and diversity of
Swahili music and we are proud to announce that many of East Africa’s
finest
groups are confirmed to participate:

FROM EAST AFRICA

DANCE / GUITAR BANDS: Kilimanjaro Band (“Wananjenje”), Zanzibar Moonlight
Jazz Band

MUSIC FUSION: Saida Karoli, Manyani Nani, Sisi Tambala

HIPHOP AND URBAN MUSIC: Juma Nature & Wanaume, Wazenji Kijiwe, Klear Kut,
Stara Thomas, Solo Thang, BTB, DJ Saleh

TAARAB & KIDUMBAK: Nadi Ikhwan Safaa (Malindi Taarab), Culture Musical
Club,
Segere Original, Sosoliso Kidumbak, Zein l’Abdin Trio, DCMA Student Group

NGOMA & TRADITIONAL MUSIC: Bi Kidude, Chibite Group, Beni ya Kilua, Black
Roots, Jagwa Music (Mchiriku), Hiyari ya Moyowo (Kirumbizi), Imani Ngoma,
Matimba Arts, Ngoma ya Kibati, Kidutani & Jang’ombe Nursery Schools

RELIGIOUS SUFI MUSIC: Maulidi ya Homu ya Mtendeni

THEATRE, COMEDY, ACROBATICS: Jambo Brothers, Halikuniki Comedy Group

FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD:

El Tanbura Group (Egypt), Seiyun Popular Arts (Yemen), Imena (Rwanda),
Ndeef
Leng (Senegal), Pamuzinda (Zimbabwe)

(final festival programme pending 100% confirmations will be published
end
of January)

Guest of Honour for 2005 Festival is Bi Kidude, Zanzibar’s 93-year old
cultural ambassador, traditional healer and bare-foot diva of taarab and
unyago ngoma, who has been traveling the world to sing, drum and
entertain
since the 1920s.

TICKET INFO:

Free admission to all before 8pm daily (standing room only)

After 8pm, residents 500/-TSh (US$0.50) (standing room only)

After 8pm, non-residents 1,000/- TSh (US $1) (standing room only)

VIP Daily Pass 5,000/- (US $5) (with seating)

VIP All Festival Pass (4 Days) 10,000/- (US $10) (with seating)

On Stone Town Zanzibar: “The pace of life is gentle, time itself seems
flexible, and a combination of the surroundings and a very low level of
trading hassle from genuinely friendly locals turn it into the most
relaxing, stress-reducing place I've ever encountered. Turn off your
mobile
phone: this town should be available on the National Health”.

Ian Anderson, fROOTS Magazine

Welcome to Zanzibar for the friendliest music festival on Planet Earth!

10 – 13 February, 2005 – Sauti za Busara Festival #2

09 – 12 February, 2006 – Sauti za Busara Festival #3

Full line up, timetable of performances, more information for press/media
including pictures of many of the performing artists available on
request.

Hotels are filling up fast for this period so be sure to book quickly if
you
need accommodation in Stone Town within walking distance of the Festival.
For assistance with hotel bookings, local travel and tours contact
[email protected] (cc to [email protected])

DJ YUSUF’S TOP 20 RECOMMENDED CD RELEASES OF 2004:

Mandekalou Mali/Guinea The Art & Soul Of
The
Mande Griots

Juma Nature Tanzania Ubin-Adam Kazi

Youssou Ndour Senegal Egypt

Various Artists Zanzibar Zanzibar: Soul &
Rhythm

Les Garagistes Cote d’Ivoire Tapis Rouge

Ferooz Tanzania Safari

Missy Elliott USA This is
Not a
Test!

Konono No 1 DRC Congotronics

Nia Safi Group Zanzibar Kibati

Various Artists South Africa All the Hits, Vol 5

James Brown + Various USA/Japan Ultimate Remixes

Young Stars Modern Taarab Tanzania Segere 2

Gidigidi Majimaji Kenya Many Faces

Busi Mhlongo South Africa Freedom

Mangwair Tanzania Mikasi

Diego & Cigala Cuba/Spain Lagrimas Negras

Clotaire K Lebanon Lebanese

Various Artists Various Latin Club
Sessions

Various Artists Jamaica Two Culture Clash

Michael Franti & Spearhead USA Everyone Deserves
Music

SAUTI ZA BUSARA is organised by Busara Promotions - a non-governmental,
non-political, non-profit cultural organisation registered in Zanzibar
“to
promote and develop opportunities for local and international music and
performing artists within the East African region, work to strengthen the
local arts infrastructure and build networks internationally, for the
social, cultural and economic growth of Africa and the dhow region”.

Busara Promotions extends thanks to the following without whom the
Festival
would not be possible:

Ford Foundation, HIVOS, Mfuko wa Utamaduni Tanzania, Embassy of France,

Dhow Countries Music Academy, Memories of Zanzibar, fROOTS Magazine,
Afropop
Worldwide, Zanzibar Gallery, Zenj Travel & Tours, Alliance Francaise,
Emerson & Green Hotel, Kidude Cafe, Countrywide Destination Tanzania,
thephatplanet.com, and most of all to the people of Zanzibar: “Shukurani
kwa
kukubali kuwa tamasha hili ni letu sote na mchango wenu ndio ambao
umelifanikisha.”

For more information contact:

Busara Promotions, PO Box 3635, Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Tel: (+255) 24 223 2423 or (+255) (4) 747 428478

Fax: +44 870 132 1190

Email: [email protected]