Our mission as Mombasa Taarab is to preserve and revive the romantic lyrics and enchanting melodies of Mombasa’s older taarab style, an artform that has sadly begun to disappear. In the longer term, we hope to bring not just musical enrichment, but also spiritual and educational benefits to our Swahili community. We envision a future in which the taarab artists of our nation can develop sustainable educational programs for young artists and gain recognition and support through local and international performances.
As we begin to work toward our lofty goals, we the members of Mombasa Taarab are seeking the support of hotels, festivals, and other organizations or individuals who would like to have a first-rate, traditional Mombasan taarab orchestra perform for their function or event. The music of Mombasa Taarab: Sanaa ya Kale is sure to please local and international audiences alike.
The Musicians: Omar Swaleh Al-Abdi (bandleader, percussion, backing vocals), Kombo Salim Mataka Msijumu (vocals, tashkota, harmonium, composition), Mbaraka Ali Haji (harmonium, tabla, composition), Seif Omar (Violin, Oud, Mandolin), Rama Kamunya (guitar, bass), Mwanate Kibwana (vocals, tambourine), Ali Mbarak (guitar, double bass)
Contact: Omar Swaleh Al-Abdi, P.O. Box 80791, Mombasa. Tel - +254 (0)722 244791, +254 (0)735 953478. Email – omsalabdi@yahoo.com.
Listen to some samples of our music.