East Africa: IOMMA 2021 to feature Gar Gar and Msafiri Zawose

The Somali folk music-inspired group will perform on 6 December alongside French-Algerian musician Kasbah, who is expected to introduce new dynamic electronic rhythms that evoke the celestial beauty of Cushitic music. The two acts will be supported by jazz musician Eddie Gray and percussionist Kastiva Mutua.

Zawose, who will perform on 9 December, is an internationally acclaimed musician best known for his Gogo compositions from central Tanzania. The multi-instrumentalist, who plays the zeze, ngoma and xylophone, among other instruments, is a member of the Bagamoyo-revered Zawose family of musicians. In 2020, he co-won the first Creativity Award of the Beyond Music Project, a social networking platform and music collaboration project.

“We are excited to bring Somali folk music with a contemporary feel to IOMMA,” Gar Gar told Music In Africa. “As one of the minority groups in Kenya, we hope this performance will open up more opportunities for us to tour and present our music to the world. We are also looking forward to discovering music from other countries and perhaps getting inspired.”

Held annually, IOMMA has strengthened its position as the first music industry platform in the Indian Ocean area. This market provides a platform for meetings, exchanges and opportunities between artists and professionals while building a bridge towards the music industry in Europe, Australia, America and Asia.

The 2021 IOMMA lineup also includes Tim Zeni, Simangavole, Gwendoline Absalon, Trans Kabar, Romane & Gaël, Tine Poppy, Zeko, Aurus and Pangar from Reunion Island. Others are Ahamada Smis (Comoros), Trzk (Mozambique), Blakkayo (Mauritius), Blk JKS, Bokani Dyer and Thandiswa Mazwai (South Africa), Elijah (Seychelles) and Nainako (Madagascar).

Besides artist showcases, the IOMMA programme offers conference panels and one-on-one networking opportunities. Some of the topics to be discussed include Digital: How to Enhance Your Incomes, Women in Music Business and International Mobility of Artists.

View the complete programme here.