Sauti za Busara

... which means Sounds of Wisdom in Kiswahili, the language spoken in a lot of Eat Africa. Sauti za Busara is a music festival held on the beautiful island of Zanzibar every year and now in it's fourth year having started in 2004 by Busara Promotions, a company set up by Yusuf Mahmoud in 2003, aiming at bringing about a new awareness to the wealth of music in Africa.

I've unfortunately missed all of the last three festivals being away in the United States for the first two and in South Africa last year. But living and working in the music industry in Tanzania has allowed me the time to take off to enjoy the sounds that Africa and the world has to offer. I was not involved in anyway this year so had the luxury of being a spectator, a participater in the spirit of the week, making my home in front of the stage on many occasions, dancing nights away to rhythms of the soul.

Highlights of the weekend include, Mo'Some Big Noise, a group including musicians from Mozimbique and Austria, Collaborations, a group made up of six different Zimbabwian bands, Didier Awadi and Phat 4, a ethnic senegelese hip hop group that blew the house away. Jose Chameleon, hip hop artist from Uganda was equally impressive, as well as a number of local bands from Tanzania. Zimbabwian artist, Netsayi, rocked the fort with her african folk music.

The weekend was a success.