Search - Shikamoo Jazz :: Chela Chela Vol. 1

While much is made of the major orchestras of Senegal and Mali, little is heard of the popular music of East Africa outside of taraab. These 1990s tracks from Shikamoo Jazz are testament to the developing and unique sound of Dar es Salaam. This large band of musicians (all stars in their own right for many years) mixes rumba, pure Latin, and even some soukous into a unique local blend, adding bits of taraab and other traditional Kenyan music to re-create the "Dar sound" of the '60s and '70s. The songs all come from that golden age of African pop where there were few rules and lots of crazy innovations and experiments, so don't be surprised if these tracks have you thinking of '50s rock & roll and mellow jazz. Shikamoo Jazz were formed in 1993 to revive classic hits and styles of the '60s and '70s, but they have inevitably added their years of experience in the '80s and '90s to the mix, and the results are a revival that stretches into the future. --Louis Gibson