This month, Naxos World is proud to present Swahili Rumba, a disc displaying a musical tradition that has thrived in distinct regional forms in both East and West Africa. In Kenya, especially in the cities and larger towns, rumba music has flourished in an environment that has brought Kenyan musicians together with Congolese and Tanzanian artists. This Kenyan version of rumba is usually sung in Swahili with the songs divided into two distinct parts the first part slow and melodic, the second part faster with instrumental solos and sometimes a new vocal chorus. Formed in 1996, the Golden Sounds Band is lead by saxophonist and bandleader Twahir Mohamed, who has been a part of the Nairobi music scene since his arrival in 1984 from Tanzania. Whereas Swahili rumba music is often characterised by a relatively sparse and open sound, on this disc the Golden Sounds Band combines complex vocal harmonies, interlocking guitars and sizzling saxes, producing a full, rich sound.