9 – 13 February 2011
From Wednesday through til Sunday, around eight groups perform each day. Big names rub shoulders with upcoming artists. There are thirty of the best groups of Zanzibar, Tanzania and East Africa, with another ten groups in 2011 representing Ethiopia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, La Réunion, Madagascar, Mauritius, Ghana, Mali and Senegal.
All music on the main stage is performed live. Shows start at 5pm, continuing virtually non-stop, with the final band taking to the stage around midnight. For local people, admission is free until 6:00pm, then around €1 (one euro), see Tickets and Prices. 5,000 attend each day, roughly being 80% people from the region and others from all over Africa, Asia, Europe and beyond.
Sauti za Busara is the annual music event in East Africa and widely known as ‘the friendliest festival on the planet’.
Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou (Benin) Blick Bassy (Cameroon) Otentikk Street Brothers (Mauritius) African Stars Band (aka Twanga Pepeta) (Tanzania) Mlimani Park Orchestra (Tanzania) Kwani Experience (South Africa) Culture Musical Club (Zanzibar) Bi Kidude (Zanzibar) Jagwa Music (Tanzania) Mohamed Ilyas & Nyota Zameremeta (Zanzibar) Bismillahi Gargar (Kenya) Maulidi ya Homu ya Mtendeni (Zanzibar) Djeli Moussa Diawara (Guinea) Christine Salem (Reunion) Yaaba Funk (UK) Muthoni The Drummer Queen (Kenya) Jahazi Modern Taarab (Tanzania) Sinachuki Kidumbak (Zanzibar) Les Frères Sissoko (Senegal) Sousou & Maher Cissoko (Senegal / Sweden) Sukiafrica Sukiyaki Allstars (Pan Africa / Far East) Groove Lélé (Reunion) Vusa Mkhaya & Band (Zimbabwe / Various) Djaaka (Mozambique) Nomakanjani Arts (Zambia) Percussion Discussion Afrika (Uganda) Tunaweza Band (Tanzania) Staff Band Namasabo (Tanzania) Swahili Encounters Group (Zanzibar / Various) NEWS Quartet (Mauritania / Various) Maureen Lupo Lilanda (Zambia) Lelelele Africa (Kenya) Atemi & the Ma3 Band (Kenya) Black Roots (Zanzibar) Sauda (Tanzania) Wanyambukwa Artist Group (Tanzania) Nyota Kali Band (Tanzania) Cross Border (Zanzibar)