Mokoomba is one of Africa’s most exciting young bands, dazzling audiences worldwide with their knockout live shows and electrifying blend of Afro-fusion and tantalizing traditional Tonga rhythms. “Mokoomba” is a Tonga word that connotes the deep respect Tonga people have for the Zambezi River and for the vibrant life that it brings to their music and culture.

The Zimbabwe-based group’s latest album, Luyando—a stripped-down, mostly acoustic album— took critics by storm. Mokoomba have rocked legendary rooms and stages worldwide, from New York City’s Apollo Theater and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., to London’s 100 Club and Amsterdam’s Melkweg, to WOMEX and SXSW, sealing their reputation as one of Africa’s best young live bands.