Kenyan ensemble belts out authentic taarab at Paris festival

At a time when cultural musical styles are rapidly evolving, a century-old East African musical genre is struggling to retain its identity. Contemporary influences have had a significant impact on tarab music, which today is radically different from the defining sound of Africa’s east coast for generations.

But there are still a few bands that have retained the unique flavor of the music, rooted in Swahili poetry and rich instrumentals, amid the fusion that gave birth to the heavily synthesized sound of modern tarab.

This resolute determination has received critical acclaim for Lelele Africa, a tarab band from Mombasa, who have been chosen to represent Kenya at the 26th Festival de Fiction (Festival de l’Imagination) in Paris, France.

The festival, which began on June 1 and ends on Sunday, is a celebration of the diversity of artistic expression from around the world through music, dance, and theatre.

“Taarab has changed and musicians now prefer shortcuts, especially electronic keyboards to create music,” says Mubarak Al-Hajj, founder of the group.

“But my group still plays the original instruments like the accordion, violin, harmonium, chucotta, and lute,” adds the veteran composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist.

The group had been preparing for the tour for nearly two months and had added some new songs to their repertoire of traditional tarab songs. They were in Nairobi last week performing a pre-tour concert showcasing their repertoire before leaving for Paris.

Lelele Africa is performing in Nyali, Mombasa in 2022 during the Creative Arts Spaces in Kenya. photo | I got cured NMG

In addition to traditional favorites such as tarb my mailboxMubarak also wrote some new songs that fit with the challenges facing the world at the moment. One of those environment that talks about the impact of climate change with the words “Heat, heat, heat” while You are a child She advises children to focus on their education to secure their future in a challenging world.

Mubarak is also excited about the response to the song Pisawhich he says describes the rising cost of living and how ordinary people have to toil all day just to put food on the table.

During a performance of Lelele Africa in Nairobi, the 60-year-old veteran was keen to introduce the young generation of Tarab musicians who could carry the torch for the genre into the future. There are two 20-year-old musicians in the group, and they are his daughter, Zainab Mubarak, who performed a song she wrote herself. I can not disdain And the Oud player Ahmed Omar, who got acquainted with the band through his father, who plays the stringed Oud instrument.

“I will be achieving retirement soon, and so I have this young generation in the group who can attract their peers to keep traditional tarab alive in the future,” Mubarak says. This trip to France is expected to showcase a unique kind of music in its original form to a wider audience

He notes “Even in Mombasa today most people are surprised to hear our voices because these days the music at weddings has changed”.

“The current groups are playing a kind of music that combines taarab, bongo flever, rumba and even Nigerian music, so anything goes. They don’t compose but just build on mixes of songs that are already popular.”

Mubarak was born in Fazaa City, Lamu and spent his childhood in the island where he started his interest in music at an early age as he played with instruments belonging to two combined groups that were stored in their house.

He was influenced by his older brother, who composed poetry (Poem) while his mother was a famous artist during weddings and other cultural events. Mubarak began writing his poems and songs at the age of 12 and by high school he had already joined a tarab group on the island.

After school, he moved to Mombasa where he learned for three years under the legendary band Mouledi Juma, then formed his first group Diamond Stars in 1995 with Bakary Aziz and Sitara Bute (the singer died in 2011).

Mubarak then joined forces with violinists Seif Omar and Mohamed Awaz, and keyboardist Mohamed Adio to form Lily Africa in 2011, a name derived from the common dormouse of le le le from excited crowds during performances. Omar and Awaz both died, while Adio left the band, which survived thanks to bandleader Mubarak bringing younger musicians into the group.

In 2006, Lelele Africa was among the groups selected during Spotlight on Kenyan Music (Music Waves from the Kenyan Coast), an initiative of Alliance Francaise that provided a launching pad for Nyota Ndugu, Mombasa Trap, Afro Simba Band and others. groups. In 2014, Mubarak was among the musicians who represented Kenya at the Smithsonian Institution Festival in Washington, DC.

Lelele Africa travels to France as a seven-piece band, along with guest guitarist Eddie Gray and tour manager Tabu Osusa, founder of Ketebul Music, who has worked with the group since the Spotlight project.

Eddie, who is better known in jazz circles, is grateful for his long association with Lelele Africa, which dates back to work on the album Spotlight on Kenyan Music in 2006.

“We first contacted during the production of this album at Ketebul Music studios,” Gray recalled.

“This is a festival with a very cultural niche, so it’s a very good opportunity for the group to bring a unique voice to the table.”

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