Taarab
Zanzibar has been at the crossroads of trade routes for thousands of years as peoples of Africa, India, Iran, China and other parts of Asia and the Arab world have all played their parts in influencing the music, architecture, food and culture of the region. A unique blend of all these cultures, the taarab is an intrinsic part of the Zanzibar culture. It was originally played as court music in the palace of Sultan Barghash.

Kidumbak
A less refined and more upbeat version of the taarab, Kidumbak combines big-orchestra taarab and the traditional ngoma music. It is most often performed at weddings and other celebrations.

Beni
A form of brass band music that originated around the end the 19th Century, Beni was essentially a mockery of colonial style military bands. It was however soon incorporated in the competitive song-and-dance exchanges so popular on the Swahili coast and spread from there to the rest of East Africa. Beni remains popular in Zanzibar.

Modern Taarab
Undoubtedly a pop-phenomenon, this is a modern style taarab, called rusha roho, which translates literally “to make the spirit fly”. Taarab music is full of thought provoking lyrics, innuendos and obscure lines. Taarab music is very popular along the East African Coast.