Vijana Jazz Orchestra (also known as Vijana Jazz Band or simply Vijana Jazz) [1] [2] is a Tanzanian muziki wa dansi band that reached its peak of popularity in the 1980s. [2] As with many other dansi bands of the times, it was sponsored by a government institution, namely the Umoja wa Vijana, i.e., the youth wing of Tanzania's ruling party Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) (renamed Chama cha Mapinduzi in 1977). [2] [3]
The band was founded in 1971 by John Ondoro Chacha. In 1978, the Tanzanian government passed a law that allowed bands to purchase foreign instruments (something that had previously been forbidden by the Baraza la Muziki la Taifa, a governative council responsible for the regulation of the music business). Vijana Jazz was one of the first bands to take on this opportunity, and in the 1980s it became extremely popular because of its innovative sound that made use of synthesizers and drum machines. [4]
Popular mitindo (styles) created by Vijana Jazz include sindimba, heka heka, koka koka, watoto wa nyumbani and pamba moto. Some of the most notable musicians that have played in Vijana Jazz are Hamza Kalala, Hemedi Maneti, Issa Chikupele and Manitu Musa.
The band declined in popularity in the early 1990s, partly as a consequence of its leader's sudden death (in 1990). [4]
Note: Vijana Jazz records were published by a variety of labels, including at least Africa79, Ahadi, Ken-Tanza, Moto Moto, and Polydor. [1]
Several muziki wa dansi collections include songs by Vijana Jazz. Some examples are:
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Baraza la Muziki la Taifa was a national council created in 1974 by the government of the newly independent Tanzania. Its purpose was to regulate the music business in the country, in the context of a wider programme intended to create a solidified national identity. This, in turn, was a crucial element in Ujamaa, President Julius Nyerere's version of african socialism. Similar institutions were founded to rule over other aspects of the nation's culture, including the nationwide adoption of Swahili language and the development of Tanzanian art (BASATA). The overall idea was to build a new popular culture for the workers and peasants of the country, free from the heritage of colonialism and bourgeoisie culture.
The Cuban Marimba Band was an influential Tanzanian big band from the city of Morogoro. It was founded in 1948 by Salum Abdullah, who had previously formed the Morogoro Jazz Band. For about twenty years, Cuban Marimba was one of the most popular muziki wa dansi bands in Tanzania.
The Dar es Salaam Jazz Band was a Tanzanian big band from Dar es Salaam that was one of the prominent muziki wa dansi bands between the 1960s and 1970s. It was led by Michael Enoch, who would later play in many other major dansi bands. Although Enoch did originally play guitar in the band's first years, he would later be known mostly as a saxophone and trumpet player.
International Orchestra Safari Sound was a popular muziki wa dansi Tanzanian band from 1985 to 1992.
DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra has been one of the most popular Tanzanian muziki wa dansi bands.
Morogoro Jazz Band, also known as K.Z. Morogoro Jazz Band, was a seminal muziki wa dansi band from Morogoro, Tanzania. The band originally played live at the clubs and bars of Morogoro and became very popular in the 1960s and 1970s, receiving considerable airplay from Tanzanian radio stations. The leader of the band was guitarist Mbaraka Mwinshehe, who dropped out of school to join the band in 1965. Coincidentally, the band was formed the same year Mwinsheshe was born, in 1944. The original lineup of the band featured Makala Kindamile, Joseph Thomas, Seif Ally, Daudi Ally and Shaabana Mwambe. Salim Abdullah, who would later found Cuban Marimba Band, was also an early member of the band.
Orchestra Maquis Original is a Tanzanian muziki wa dansi band, originally from DR Congo. Founded in 1970 and still in activity, it is one of the most long-lived dansi bands.
Msondo Ngoma is an influential and long-lived Tanzanian muziki wa dansi band. Having been established in 1964, it is the oldest active dansi band in Tanzania.
Orchestra Safari Sound (OSS) was a major Tanzanian muziki wa dansi band in the 1970s. Along with Orchestra Maquis Original, OSS contributed to the evolution of dansi, introducing a slower-paced and more melodic style that further differentiated dansi from its ancestor genre, the Congolese soukous. The band was led by Ndala Kasheba, one of the most popular musicians in Tanzanian pop music.
Tabora Sound Band, formerly known as Tabora Jazz, is a seminal Tanzanian muziki wa dansi band based in Tabora and led by guitarist Shem Ibrahim Karenga. In the 1970s, their song Dada Asha was a major hit in Tanzania and East Africa. They disbanded in the late 1970s but were later reformed by Karenga.
