Muungano Cultural Troupe – Volume 17 Mambo Yapo Huku

Taarab music from Tanzania’s long-running and legendary Muungano. This tape gets the award for wily, sinewy and swirly lo-fi keyboard tone of the year. Similar in crucial melodic and rhythmic ways to my earlier faves from Dar es Salaam, Jagwa Music. Stop by Afropop Worldwide for extensive cultural/social/political background on taarab in general.

Awesome Tapes From Africa DJ sets in Europe coming up in March, come say hello if you’re nearby…Presented by Spex:

01.03. CH Bern / Bonsoir
02.03. CH Lausanne / Le Bourg
08.03. DE Berlin / Africaine 808 @ Soju Bar
10.03. DE Duisburg / Aula Im Festivalzentrum
15.03. IT Venetia / Teatro Fondamenta Nuove
17.03. IT Bologna / Locomotiv
28.03. DE Hamburg / Golden Pudel
29.03. DE Berlin / Gretchen (+ Konono No. 1)