Hussein Masimbi and the Bagamoyoni Band

Hussein Masimbi, is a multi-instrumentalist composer, drummer, percussionist, singer and guitarist who sees his music as a blend of many styles such as Tanzanian traditional music, pop music and reggae. His lyrics talk about social issues and are expressed in both Kiswahili and English with the aim of reaching audiences from different origins, cultures and status. He sees music as a platform to create dialogues but also advocating for peace and unity.

Hussein has performed in different venues and festivals as a drummer accompanying other musicians for over 18 years and more recently as the lead artist with his own backing band. He leads his band from the drum kit while singing lead vocals providing a unique musical performance with a tight and funky feel. Through his performance he reveals his love, passion and experience as a Roots Reggae/Pop musician.

Among the places he has performed are Safaricom Jazz festival (Kenya), Ghent (Belgium) and substantial tours of school concerts in Norway between 2007 and 2012). He has also performed at a variety of venues in the USA, Bagamoyo, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.

He is currently studying for his PhD at UDSM whilst also working on a research project on “fishing communities of the coast of Tanzania. Recently, together with fellow artists in Bagamoyo, they have curated a weekly music scene called “Kwetu Bagamoyo” which offers regular gigs featuring different genres of music, by artists from Bagamoyo, Dar es Salaam and beyond.