Sinaubi Zawose and Pamoja Zanzibar drop Pesa video ahead of album release

The project is a product of collaborative effort between Tanzanian folk-fusion musician Sinaubi Zawose and Pamoja Zanzibar, a conceptual group founded by Tanzania-based Polish musician and producer Radek ‘Bond’ Bednarz.

The idea behind the new album is to present Zawose’s modern spin on traditional Gogo music ­– performed and recorded live.

Gogo Hip hopes to act as a bridge connecting past and present generations, delivering a new and unique blend of traditional and contemporary Gogo music with powerful messages sang in Swahili and Gogo dialects.

The recording began in January at Wanene Studios in Dar es Salaam with a six-piece band reimagining two generations of Zawose Family recordings. 

Sinaubi is the son of Hukwe Ubi Zawose, the renowned Tanzanian musician who passed away in 2003. Sinaubi’s father, together with his brother, Lucas Ubi, headed the eponymous family group famous for playing traditional Gogo music.

Sinaubi began his musical journey as a dancer and ngoma player at a young age under the tutelage of his father. In 2008, with the support of the Zawose Family, he released his debut album Wichimaje, a collection of traditional Tanzanian music.

Bednarz, meanwhile, is the founder of the Eklektik Session artist platform. He founded Pamoja Zanzibar as both a concept and platform to bridge and deepen musical interactions in the East Africa region.

In 2021, Sinaubi teamed up with Bednarz, performing both in Tanzania and abroad, with the interaction culminating in the recording Gogo Hip, which will be released on the latter’s Gig Ant label.

Sinaubi Zawose & Pamoja Zanzibar will take Gogo Hip on the road to Europe starting in August with performances at Boomtown Festival (UK), All About Love Festival (UK), Bezau Beatz Festival (Austria) and a Polish venue that will be revealed soon.

Pre-order Gogo Hip here.