One of the
icons in Zanzibar was “Salim’s Band.”
It was a
band made up of four, and sometimes five individuals. The group consisted of Salim playing the
trumpet and he was accompanied by a drummer, a double bass player, and one who
played the symbols. I am not sure whether Salim also had a trombone player
though from the sound in the distance it seemed as though he had one, or he was
mimicking the sound on his own trumpet.
Salim
played the trumpet with such energy that he seemed to drown the other players. However, he made sure that he carried the
tune to its conclusion.
Salim’s
band was a regular player at the Bohora wedding ceremonies just outside their
mosque that took place opposite the tall and imposing Bohora School on Sokomogo
Street.
He was also
hired to lead the wedding marches during Hindu weddings when the groom dressed
with the pomp of a Maharajah was being taken on horseback to meet his
bride. It is a good thing that the horse
was accustomed to the music or else the fate of the bridegroom might have been
tenuous at best in those narrow streets.
Salim’s
music never seemed to change. He
believed that getting away from the scores that he had created was a desecration
of music. His simple music rendering was
like telling a simple story with a simple ending and this was his appeal to
many young people.
Salim on
his trumpet will perhaps never be compared to the greats such as Harry James
and Luis Armstrong and Dizzie Gillespie, but in Zanzibar his trumpet sounds
declared to the world that he was going to be around for a long time and you
had better hear it too!
Date: Mon, Apr 8, 2013 at 3:07 PM
Subject: Re: SALIM'S BAND ( Kwa Salim Beni)
To: Taha Baharoon <tabaharoon@gmail.com>
COMMENTS:-
Subject: Fwd: SALIM'S BAND ( Kwa Salim
Beni)
Yes
Mohammed, such nostalgic stuff touches our susceptibilities! George has
so many of such stories. You can visit his blog http://zanzibarsogas.blogspot.co.uk/for
more. These are just childhood memories, Like everything
else, you are free to disagree with him and can contact him if
you so wish. I am sure he will be very happy to hear from anyone.
Taha
Date: Mon, Apr 8, 2013 at 3:07 PM
Subject: Re: SALIM'S BAND ( Kwa Salim Beni)
To: Taha Baharoon <tabaharoon@gmail.com>
Al-Akh Tah,
Indeed this
brings back old memories to us all and those older than our age group.
The other
side of this Zanzibari 'music icon' is his little known "dancing
club" located in a small house in the Mbuyu pacha area (ngambu). Young
people used to go and dance with live music played by 'Salim Beni ' and
his group as we used to know him.
The other
person, who deserves special mention, is better known by the local community of
Arabs and Africans is 'Bakari Shirizi'. His group used played 'tarab'
music during the weddings with the filled as his specialization.
Best
regards,
Mohammed
