Digging 4 Gold

Now, let’s cross over to the other side of the continent and check out what they got to offer, shall we?

In the 1960s and 70s, the idea of nationalism was booming, as many Pan-African leaders came into power and wanted so desperately to create their own identity after the ousting of their colonial rulers.  Taking cue form Kwame Nkrumah’s successful indoctrination of local highlife as Gahna’s official music, Countries like Tanzania aimed to find their own musical voice - a uniting factor, if you will.  For many East Africans, Their major point of reference came from the explosive musical scene of the Congo, which would inspire Tanzanian Jazz, a close variation of Congolese music.  

Now, this band - led by Mbaraka Mwinshehe - is somewhat unique, in the sense that they’re one of the few bands that were not in Dar Esalam, the capital of Tanzania.  Instead, they hailed form Morogoro, a town located approximately 200-km inland from Dar Esalam.  

I had the wonderful opportunity to stay there once with a friend and his family as I made my way through parts of East Africa a couple years afo.  And I was instantly brought back there when I got this little 45 in the mail from Lion.  The town is in a beautifully lush area that lacks the hustle and bustle of a main city.  Elixir vendors and motorcycle taxis are in abundance, but I could’ve never imagined much of a music scene there.  I suppose, this gives me something to look forward to when I return to Morogoro in the near future.

Morogoro Jazz Band 7’inch single