Shishituki by The Sounds of Taraab

The Sounds of Taraab performs "taraab", a musical style from Zanzibar and coastal East Africa. At its essence taraab combines African rythmn and Swahili lyrics, heavily influenced by Arabic and Indian popular music. There are other influences as well, since this region has been a hub of business, trade, and cultural intermingling for millenia.
Vocalist Alsarah passionately conveys the Taraab lyrics of love and longing, while she is supported by oud master Haig Manookian. Accordion virtuoso Ismail Butera adds fleeting cadenzas and earthy drones, while multi instrumentalist Michael Hess adds color and ambience with violin and nai flute. Supporting all this is the powerhouse percussion team of Tiye Giraud and April Centrone, who's drumming on dumbek, riq, pandero, shekere and a host of other instruments gives the group it's driving, very African beat.
Engineered by Chris Stubbs.
http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/22663