The euphoric sound of a mother and daughter duo sharing their traditional vocals and foot-stomping East African rhythms.
THE ZAWOSE QUEENS
There is spirit and fire in the music of The Zawose Queens. There's the vibrations of the ancestors, coming through on traditional instruments — soaring chizeze fiddle, buzzing illimba thumb piano, ngoma drums that chatter and thunder — and voices that go deep, high and out there. There's the connection to nature, to ceremony and ritual, in their dance-inspired fusion, their blend of the organic, harmonic and modern-day electronic. There are lyrics that tell, in their native kigogo, of the passion for music, the wonders of life, of pride in environment, in tradition and in their East African roots.
Pendo and Leah Zawose showcase the fluid polyrhythms and rapturous polyphonic singing of the Gogo (aka Wagogo) people of the arid, hilly Dodoma region of central Tanzania. The most famous exponent of this musical tradition is the late, great Dr Hukwe Zawose (Pendo’s father and Leah’s grandfather).
Maisha, the debut album by The Zawose Queens, marks the first time that women from this famous musical family take their place as lead vocalists and performers. Emboldened by workshops in songwriting and music production with visiting UK-based producers Oli Barton-Wood (Jordan Rakei, Obongjayar, Nilufer Yanya) and Tom Excell (Nubiyan Twist, Onipa), The Zawose Queens began writing their first ever songs. The resulting collection of songs range from the stripped back and traditional-sounding to those treated with subtle electronic elements, with beats and drops and found sounds and switch-ups.
XAMBI
Xambi (pronounced zam-bi) is an emerging neo-soul band based in London, known for their genre-blending sound. Since their formation in June 2022, Xambi has gained recognition for their natural synergy, which shines through in their music. Their most recent single, All for You, highlights their smooth, soulful style.
Xambi’s musical experimentation fuses elements of Neo-soul, Funk, Jazz, Rap, and Hip-hop, with notable collaborations that include London rapper Saiming and horn solos by Grifton Forbes Amos. Their live performances have also made waves, with the band opening for Nana Benz Du Togo and performing at The Jago several times.
Xambi’s music delivers a message of intimacy, fellowship, and connection, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Fans have praised their unique sound, with one comment summing it up: "Nothing beats London Soul."
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