Taarab music is a popular genre in East Africa which was developed from Islamic roots, using instruments from Africa (percussion), Europe (guitar), Arab Middle East (oud and qanum) and East Asia (taishokoto). Its roots in the melting pot of coastal Africa are reason for its varied influences. It is a fusion of tunes sung in rhythmic poetry with Arabic and Swahili influences and are a feature of wedding music. It is popular in the coastal areas of East Africa, especially in Zanzibar, Tanga, and Lamu. Taarab is also said to have an Egyptian origin, due to the long-term popularity of the Ikhwani Safaa Musical Club. Wherever the Swahili speaking people travelled, Tarabu culture moved with them.

Siti binti Saad was the first Taarab superstar, and subsequently the first major Swahili artiste from Tanzania. n contrast to previous singers who sang in Arabic, she sang in Swahili. Siti binti Saad plied her trade making and selling pots in the 1920's and when she walked through Zanzibar, she will sing to call attention to her pots. When she broke her pots one day, she took up singing and music full-time, moved to Zanzibar and joined a group. The band travelled to India to record through a label and they were the first from the region to record commercially. She is believed to have recorded over 126 songs on the trip. She sang about everything and real events and her achievements paved the way for many women singers.

Since her death in 1950, many Taarab bands and musicians like Bi Kidude Baraka (Zanziabar), Culture Musical Club and Al-Watan Musical Club emerged and helped it cross over Tanzania's borders far and wide. There were also the Kidumbak ensembles and modern taarab bands like East African Melody. The Black Star Musical Club helped modernize the genre in the 1960's and made it popular in places like Burundi and Kenya. It is believed one ancient Arab ruler, Sultan Seyyid Barghash bin Said, introduced Taarab music to Zanzibar for entertainment.

Tanzania was influenced heavily after the 1960's with the influence of African and Latin music. Tanzanian soldiers brought back with them the music of these cultures, as well as Cuban and European music, when returning from World War II. These musical influences fused and brought together the Tanzanian people. Eventually the country and its people created its own style of music. This style, called "Swahili Jazz" was a mix of beats and styles of Cuban, European, latin and African music. Swahili jazz gave Tanzania a sense of independence and togetherness as a country.

Taarab music is changing and this has been mostly due to the East African Melody phenomenon. Melody plays modern taarab which is danceable and doesn't necessarily followd the lyrical or structural forms of traditional Taarab music. Some of the modern songs are even graphic and played on modern instruments like keyboards, etc. This gives bands like Melody and Muungano the opportunity to tour easily. Taarab music is being blamed for embarrassing society through vulgarity, vilification of women and for abandoning convention at the altar of commerce.

Other groups and musicians include Modern Jahazi Taarab group, Mzee Yusuf, Khadija Yusuf, Shakila, Elizabeth Sijila, Mwanahela, Patricia Hillary, Lucky Star Musical Club, Juma Bhalo, Matano Juma, Zuhura Swaleh, Maulidi, Tuzo ya Wimbo Bora, Zanzibar Stars, Suleiman (alias B52, etc

There is also popular Tanzanian female artiste, Ray C (Rehema Chalamila). She is a very sucessful musician who also does Taarab songs. She is known to use genres like taarab, bongo flava, bhangra, and R&B in one album.
She calls her style IndoAfro (Indian and African Taarab and Bongo Flavour).

Check a Ray C video - Umenikataa

Watch a popular Taarab music video by Afua Suleimani (East African melody)
Song is called Utalijua jiji

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