Explore Taarab on Josplay Music Taarab music has a complicated rhythmic ad melodic framework, which also uses a range of percussive instruments like the Dumbak (a type of percussion), the tambourine, the tabla and the Maracas. The Oud, a type of mandolin, the Qanun, a type of zither, and the Accordion are among the melodic instruments that are frequently added over the beat.
Taarab is a lively, poetic music style from the Swahili Coast, blending African and Arabic melodies into a unique and soulful rhythm. Often sung in Swahili with rich, expressive lyrics, it thrives on storytelling, joy, and celebration. Originating in Zanzibar, taarab resonates through weddings and community gatherings.
The music style is known for its layered influences, incorporating elements from North Africa, the Middle East, and Indian music traditions. With variations along the Swahili Coast, different regions bring their own cultural flair—Zanzibar’s taarab shows distinct Egyptian influence, Mombasa infuses Indian musical touches, and Lamu stays closer to its Yemeni roots.
A pivotal figure in taarab's history was Sultan Seyyid Barghash bin Said, who ruled from 1870 to 1888. He played a significant role in popularizing taarab by inviting an Egyptian musical ensemble to his palace, Beit el-Ajab, in Zanzibar. Inspired by his diplomatic and cultural interactions, Sultan Barghash sent Mohamed Ibrahim to Egypt to study the kanun, a traditional stringed instrument. Upon returning, Ibrahim founded the Zanzibar Taarab Orchestra, marking the establishment of taarab as a structured musical form. The genre soon spread from royal settings to local community events and weddings, bringing taarab to a broader audience.
In 1928, Siti binti Saad emerged as taarab's first major star. A pioneer as both a female singer and an innovator, Siti’s recordings at the HMV studios in Bombay marked a milestone, making her the first East African artist to be commercially recorded. Siti's legacy was instrumental in propelling taarab’s popularity beyond Zanzibar and into mainland Tanzania and Kenya. Another theory suggests that Swahili poet Mohamed Kijumwa, who lived on the north coast in Lamu, was a founder of taarab music and crafted the first known hand-played keyboard instrument for taarab called the Kinanda.
Over the years, iconic musicians like Bi Kidude, Mzee Yusuph, Mila na Utamaduni (Culture Musical Club), and Al-Watan Musical Club helped cement taarab’s place in Tanzanian music. By the 1960s, Tanga’s Black Star Musical Club modernized taarab, introducing it to audiences in Burundi, Kenya, and other regions. More recently, contemporary groups like Jahazi Modern Taarab have reimagined the genre, blending it with bongo music and appealing to younger audiences across East Africa.
When it comes to singing, Taarab music typically has a main singer who speaks in a very melodic, expressive way, a collection of supporting singers usually join in on the singing, adding harmonies and responding to the main vocalist's melodies. Call-and-response passages, in which the main singer performs a line or sentence and the supporting vocalists reply with a repetitive chorus or refrain, are another common characteristic of Taraab music.
Taarab music is usually poetic and lyrical, Taarab words can be performed in Swahili, Arabic, or other regional languages.
"Taarab" comes from the Arabic term "tariba," which means "to be stirred or excited." Taarab music and performance are frequently linked with weddings and other festive events. Taarab is a fusion of African, Arab, Persian and Indian music.
The melodies and rhythms of the music are supported by a rich harmonic base because these instruments are usually performed in a chordal or harmonic manner.
Taarab music usually consists of a single performer singing in Swahili or Arabic, followed by a chorus and a musical group. Instruments like the Violin, Zither, guitar, are frequently used in Taraab music, which improves the rhythm.