Zanzibar Musical Club

As a semi-autonomous island in Tanzania, East Africa, Zanzibar houses a culture where music plays multiple roles - it functions as everything from a source of social connection, to a vessel in which traditions are handed down. The melodies themselves are dizzyingly complex, drawing on a host of influences including African percussion, Latin rhythms and Indian melodies. As an extension of this, the nightclubs of Zanzibar pulse and throb with Taarab, a music wholly unique to the region. This documentary pulls viewers into the world of Taarab, and the Muslim culture surrounding it, to illustrate how that specific musical style helps to preserve the country's cultural heritage. The program features a who's who of Taarab artists including midwife, healer and Taarab singer Bi Kidude.