Like
much of the Islands' culture, the music of Zanzibar is a mosaic of
different influences and styles, borrowed from all over the Indian Ocean
and beyond. The best example of this creative blending of traditions is
taarab music, the national sound of the Islands. Taarab music has
flourished since the first decades of the 20th century, becoming the
region's first mass mediated music. Drawing in influences from the Arab
world, India,Indonesia and the West, taarab blended these with the
classical traditions of Swahili poetry, local rhythm and melody. With the
release of international recordings, the traditional sound of Zanzibar has
won enthusiastic admirers from all over the world. Taarab orchestras
resemble closely the classical Egyptian orchestras, with full violin
section, cello and bass, but also accordion, oud, qanun, rhythm section,
keyboards and ney flute. "There's hardly anything in the whole of Africa
as uplifting as the swelling sounds of a full Taarab orchestra in full
sail." (Andy Morgan in Folk Roots Magazine) Taarab is the most common
style of music performed at weddings on the Islands of Zanzibar. It is a
unique blend of musical elements from the middle East, India and the West,
combined to varying degrees, local African Music practices. It is an
essential ingredient of most celebrations.