RESONATION Muziki wa Dansi in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Nils von der Assen MA Thesis African Languages & Cultures Leiden University/ African Studies Centre September 2012 RESONATION Muziki wa Dansi in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Nils von der Assen [email protected] Supervisors Prof. Robert Ross Dr. Daniela Merolla 2 In memory of Joe Martin, a musical mind 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of illustrations v Resonation CD + notes vi Acknowledgments viii OPENING NOTES A Pretty Good Crowd for a Friday 11 A City of Windows and Mirrors 12 Popular Music and Instrumental Details 14 ‘Feeling’ the Music: Thoughts on Peircean Semiotics 15 Altered Perspectives and Chapter Synopsis 17 CH 1 | MUSIC, POLITICS AND MODERNITY Cosmopolitanism and Glocalisation 20 Points of Departure 22 Natural and National 25 CH 2 | GOING ELECTRIC: DANSI AS A COSMOPOLITAN MODERNISM Beni Ngoma Performance and Societies 30 The Advent of Dansi 32 Dansi as Anti-Establishment Music 34 Afro-Cuban Rumba 36 The Development of a Record Industry 37 Congolese Rumba, Tanzanian Dansi 39 CH 3 | ORCHESTRATING THE NATIONAL: DANSI AS THE SOUND OF THE STATE Ujamaa and Umoja 42 National Music, National Musicians 43 Going Out Dancing 49 Radio Tanzania Dar es Salaam (RTD) and Censorship 49 Restrictions and Incentives 52 4 CH 4 | BONGO The Music of the New Generation 54 A Capitalist Scene 58 The Old Stars 62 CH 5 | VYA KALE NI DHAHABU!—“OLD IS GOLD!” From Dust to Digital 67 Fundisha 72 Fathers, Brothers, Grandchildren 75 RESONATION Bibliography 5 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Cover photo: Five senior musicians of Dar es Salaam, each of them still active members of the city’s live music scene (© Tanzania Heritage Project, 2012). p. 47: Mbaraka Mwinshehe (taken from Bongocelebrity.com). p. 63: King Kiki in full swing (courtesy of Tanzania Heritage Project, 2012). King Kiki cassette covers (© Hilary Heuler, 28 March 2012). p. 64: Leo Mkanyia (photo by author, February 2012). p. 66: Anania Ngoliga at home (photo by author, March 2012). John Kitime at Ngoliga’s home (photo by author, March 2012). p. 70: Archived tapes at Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (courtesy of Tanzania Heritage Project, February 2012) p. 71: Bruno Nanguka, Chief archivist of TBC (courtesy of Tanzania Heritage Project, 2012) 6 RESONATION CD + NOTES 1 DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra: “Neema” (6:57) Recorded early 1980s by RTD; re-issued 1996 on Muziki wa Dansi: Afropop Hits from Tanzania, Africassette 9403. 2 Stella Mwangi: “Haba Haba” (3:00) Recorded 2011; released 28 January 2011, album Kinanda; written by Big City and Beyond51 (Mwangi Records). 3 DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra: “Mtoto Aikililia Wembe” (6:50) Recorded 1987 by RTD; re-issued 1995 on Sikinde, Africassette 9402. 4 Trío Matamoros: “El Que Siembra Su Maíz” (2:50) First recorded 1928 by Victor Talking Machine Co., released to- gether with “Olvido”, another Trío Matamoros song. 5 Jean Bosco Mwenda: “Pole Pole Ya Kuina” (3:15) Re-issued 2011 on The Rough Guide to African Guitar Legends, RGNET1259, 2011. 6 Mbaraka Mwinshehe & Morogoro Jazz Band: “Expo 70” (6:12) Recorded by RTD/TBC, issued 1984; album Morogoro, POLP500. 7 Wendo Kolosoy: “Marie-Louise” (5:28) Composed 1948, re-issued 2001 by Indigo; LBLC 2561. 8 Rihanna: “Man Down” (4:27) Recorded 2010; released 3 May 2011 by Def Jam Records on the album Loud; written by Shama Joseph, Timothy Thomas, Theron Thomas, Shontelle Layne. 9 King Kiki: “Kitambaa Cheupe” (7:13) Re-issued 8 September 2008 by Sterns Music, album Raisi Jakaya M. Kikwete, PLANET#006. 10 Ommy Dimpoz ft. Ali Kiba: “Nai Nai” (4:40) Released December 2011; Produced by Kgt/G Records, Pozz kwa Pozz Entertainment; Directed by Adam Juma (Visual lab.: Nextlevel). 11 Ali Kiba ft. Lady Jaydee: “Single Boy” (3:38) Released 2011; Dona Productions. 12 Mzungu Kichaa ft. Professor Jay & Mwasiti – “Jitolee” (4:03) Released June 2009; Caravan Records / Bongo Records; Directed by Adam Juma (Visual lab.: Nextlevel). 7 13 Izzo Business – “Ridhiwani” (4:40) Released 2011. 14 Busy Signal – “One More Night” (3:25) Released February 2010, Star Player Musik Group / Turf Music; Director: Delano Forbes. 15 Marijani Rajab ft. Safari Trippers: “Georgina” (5:22) Re-issued by KenTunes on Essential East African Hits: CD1, compilation of downloads. 16 DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra – “Nawashukuru Wazazi” (6:46) Recorded late 1970s/early 1980s by RTD/TBC; re-issued on Tunazikumbuka Vol. 4, cassette: Ahadi, Nairobi (AHD MC 018). 17 Benjamin wa MamboJambo – “Myfriend” (4:35) Recorded and released by Mzuka Records/Art in Tanzania, directed by Meja (Visual lab.: Nextlevel). 18 Leo Mkanyia – “Mwanangu” (5:41) Written and performed by Leo Mkanyia; video and recording by Geert van den Boogaard, Tanzania Heritage Project. Stone Town, Zanzibar, February 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVvydo5r_5M LINK TO THE DIGITAL AUDIO SUPPLEMENT: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqZs9vvfdsJPfTn03cm0JB3GB4Ys3ir_Z&feature=mh_lolz 8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This thesis is the result of what has been a truly wonderful year for me, a journey both in a physical and in a mental sense. In putting together this final work, I am indebted to many. Let me start off by thanking Prof. Robert Ross and Dr. Daniela Merolla, my teachers and supervisors at the University of Leiden, for their support during the early and last stages of this project. Further, I cherish warm memories of my classmates, which made studying and being at the University and the African Studies Centre so much fun. Anwar, David, Enid, Jonas, Julia, Katja, Kelly, Maike, Marina, Marion, Mariska, Maurice, Mayke, Roeland, Sara, Thandi and Ya-Hui, you are a bunch of cool and bright people with whom I hope to stay in touch for a long time to come! My fieldwork period in Tanzania formed the absolute highlight of it all. The list of people to whom I am greatful reads oh so long, in fact too long for this limited space. However, there are a number of them I want to single out in particular. Firstly, I thank all the musicians in Dar es Salaam who gave so freely of their time, knowledge and stories, namely John Kitime, Leo Mkanyia, King Kiki, , Benjamin wa MamboJambo, Mzungu Kichaa, Yuster Nkachara, Totoo and Katasinga Zebingwa, and Anania Ngoliga. Special thanks to Mitchel Strumpf, Professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of Dar es Salaam, for showing an interest in my work and introducing me to the field of Ethnomusicology; and to Damas Mpepo, Director of the Dhow Countries Music Academy for a wonderful interview. My friends of the Tanzania Heritage Project are certainly among the people who gave the first three months of 2012 their brightest colours. Rebecca Corey and Benson and Erasmus Rukantabula, thank you for your friendship, energy, enthusiasm and inspiration. I believe in you and in our project, and cannot wait to come back. Also, I am so glad to have met Allan Rukantabula, Rachel Kibga, Zoe Stroebel-Haft, Geert van den Boogaard and Helena Goldon. Moving to Dar es Salaam on my own, the big, bustling, hectic, sometimes intimidating and always surprising metropolis, has perhaps been among the greatest adventures of 9 my life so far. Its citizens have struck me as warm, friendly, optimistic, ingenuous and strong people—my friends Protas Msauzi and Freddy “Vido Dido” certainly embody these qualities. Finally, I will be forever grateful to Shasha Nyamhanga, who has taught me more about (life in) Tanzania than anyone else. Nashukuru, kaka kubwa. Home is where the heart is. I travelled far and left a piece of my heart in Tanzania. However, as with everything in my life, the cornerstones of it all have been those who are closest to home and closest to my heart: my parents Rolf and Marie Louise, my sisters Eva and Lisa, as well as the great number of family and friends who motivated me to keep going. And it all worked out in the end—as they say in Swahili: Haba na haba hujaza kibaba. Little by little fills the measure. 10 OPENING NOTES A Pretty Good Crowd for a Friday BREAK POINT BAR ON A Friday night. The harmonious sounds of a choir of crickets have been replaced by those of another orchestra. DDC Mlimani Park is in full swing: star singer Hassan Bitchuka, four guitarists, a drummer and a substantial horn section are treating their audience to some classic Muziki wa Dansi. Their evergreen “Neema” [1], twice voted Tanzania’s ‘Song of the Year’ in the early 1980s, never fails to get people up and moving. Bitchuka, well in his seventies, is an éminence grise of Dar es Salaam’s dansi scene, a veteran who has been captivating audiences throughout the city for decades. He is still the man of the hour, his voice seeming to have lost little of its enchanting timbre over the years. The band has been playing for a steady two hours now. As the night heats up, the songs get longer and the chemko—the fast final part of each song, featuring the tight interplay of the four guitars interlaced with forceful riffs by the horn section—more intense. Around midnight, Bitchuka signals break time: after a short interruption, the musicians will play for a good three hours more. During the break, a DJ makes for the turntables and fills the air with the catchy beats of “Haba Haba” [2], a song which has been topping Dar es Salaam’s charts for weeks now. Immediately, the dance floor is crammed with young enthusiasts lining up to dance to kwaito, a type of percussive house music originating from Johannesburg which has gained massive popularity all over East and Southern Africa since its emergence in the 1990s. It is a fascinating sight, as the young men and women are performing exactly the same dance steps and move as one carefully choreographed block, completely in sync with the beat.