Tondo Discography of CDs

Though the versatile Tanzanian pop combo Tondo began recording only in the late `90s, they specialize in a blend of Afro-Cuban rhythms, Central African ngoma percussion, and jazz-inflected improvisation that dates back to the early `70s origins of contemporary Tanzanian pop music. Tondo's singer and primary songwriter, Eddy Sheggy, was one of many Congolese musicians who sought asylum in Tanzania from Lieutenant General Mobutu's increasingly oppressive regime. These Congolese exiles introduced Latin rhythms and Western song structures to Tanzanian music, making for an eclectic musical style that bears traces of the influence of Cuban son, Brazilian samba, and Congolese soukou music. Many of the songs on TANZANIAN CLASSICS date back to the golden age of Tanzanian pop, and Tondo performs them with the same uncluttered style and consummate musical virtuosity that distinguished other recordings of the era.