“I’m a little nervous,” the singer laughs. “Usually it’s just my friends here.” Sitting cross-legged on a floor cushion, in an intimate circled of similarly-seated listeners, the musician begins to play. As the first notes out of a harp-like lap instrument ring out, the smell of incense fills the terrace and the audience sits back on their cushions, absorbing the music of Zanzibar. With the Indian Ocean in the background, the crowd is enjoying the centuries old taarab music, traditional to the island. The weekly concert draws a small but loyal crowd and occasional tourists, drawn by Basalama’s voice and…