Sauti za Busara music festival, a five-day music event held annually in Zanzibar, has grown in leaps and bounds since its first edition in February 2004.This week the festival is recognised as number 2 of Africa\’s best music festivals,according to About.com, a leading on-line travel magazine for Africa.
Sauti za Busara aims to build appreciation for East African music – locally, regionally and worldwide, at live events and in the media. Increasing numbers of listeners is important but even more so is developing in audiences an appreciation of the uniqueness, wealth and diversity of music from the East African region as well as the rest of Africa.
Sauti za Busara shows there is a way for young Africans to earn a living through music, especially if they don¡¯t forget their roots! Zanzibar taarab, ngoma and kidumbakgroups now perform regularly at home and abroad, whilst their music evolves in new and ever more exciting directions as they learn from and collaborate with other musicians from the region and beyond.
This makes the festival THE place to see world class African music under African skies.From 2004 the numbers of visitors coming to Zanzibar in February has increased year on year despite fluctuations in annual tourism to the island.
This illustrates the positive impact that the festival has on the local economy in promoting cultural tourism.The 9th edition of Sauti za Busara festival takes place in Zanzibar 8 ¨C 12 February 2012.
more info: www.busaramusic.org and www.facebook.com/sautizabusaraSponsors:Sauti za Busara 2012 so far is supported by Norwegian Embassy, HIVOS, MIMETA, Roskilde Festival Charity Society and Times FMFor photo galleries* of the festival seewww.busaramusic.org/SzB2011picswww.busaramusic.org/SzB2010picsFor full listing of Africa\’s best music festivals seehttp://goafrica.about.com/od/africafestivalsandevents/tp/best-africa-music-festivals.htm