Tag: World Music

Jul 8 2025

Kroke (POL)

Sunday 25th May 2025

Photos, video and review by Keith Belcher

Kroke is a Polish instrumental ensemble of world music. The band’s name refers to the Yiddish language name for Kraków. The band were formed in 1992. They have collaborated with the likes of Steven Spielberg, David Lynch, Peter Gabriel and Nigel Kennedy (to name but a few).

Originally a klezmer band their range covers a mix of modern Polish, klezmer, contemporary jazz, and classical chamber music. The band members are Tomasz Lato (double bass), Tomasz Kukurba (viola and whistle) and Jerzy Bawof (accordion) .

An “interesting” show to photograph and film. You have men in shadows, all wearing hats and glasses with music stands with very brightly lit iPads reflecting in their glasses. The music was absolutely amazing though and the sound was as pristine as usual which is what matters. I really was stuck for choice on what to pick, everything they played was so good. A truly amazing show.

(For the videos) I settled on the 10 minutes plus opener Light In The Darkness, a solo 90 second opening on small whistle from Tomasz Kukurba before Jerzy Bawof starts playing an accordion that produces sounds ranging from full church organs to harmonicas, Tomasz switches to plucked viola and is soon ccompanied by Tomasz Lato on electric double bass. This is not the longest tune of the set. The set 1 closer Magic Day was over 18 minutes of astonishing music. Jerzy opened the delicate Love (Lullaby For Kamila). The third video is the well deserved standing ovation encore Ajde Jano (translates as Come Jane. A traditional Serbian wedding song urging the dancing to start). This really was a great night.

videos by keith belcher

Light in the Darkness

Love (Lullaby For Kamila)

Adje Jano

Aug 13 2024

Grupo Lokito

Sunday 14th July 2024

Photos by Ron Pengelly

The sensational 8-piece Grupo Lokito made their TLR debut, featuring musicians from The Congo, Cuba and the UK. They also managed to get the whole room up dancing!

May 27 2023

Suntou Susso

Friday 19th May 2023

Review, photos, video by Keith Belcher

Friday 19th May 2023, The Live Room, Caroline Street Social Club, Saltaire. The debut of kora player and percussionist Suntou Susso and his extraordinary band kicked off a seriously high octane weekend at TLR with Sugaray Rayford making his second appearance on Sunday 21st but that’s another event and another future post.

I found a post online which described Gambia’s Suntou (via Bristol-in joke for those actually in the audience!!!) which said “Suntou Susso’s music brings nothing but good vibes as it combines the rich, traditional sound of his West-African Mandinka culture with Afro funk and soul…..Celebrated across Africa and Europe, Suntou is a multi-instrumentalist: kora player, percussionist, singer and composer from The Gambia.

The kora is a 22 string harp-lute, a rare and enchanting instrument. Born into the 700-year-old Griot tradition, Suntou performs his role as a historian, storyteller, and unifier of people through song, everywhere he goes and every time he gets on stage.”

The second set opened with Suntou giving a basic kora lesson and explaining the instrument which creates the most beautiful sounds in the hands of such a gifted player. You certainly did feel good in a very positive way at the end of this very upbeat and uplifting show as could be attested by the large number who took to dancing, at one point led by Suntou who had entered the crowd still playing his kora. On tunes like Rahim you were mesmerised by the shimmering sounds of the kora. Saltaire had already seen another kora player Seckou Keita who just happens to be Suntou’s older brother (there is a 3rd kora playing brother too, Sura Susso).

Besides the aforementioned eclectic musical combinations to my ears there was also good size chunks of jazz thrown in for good measure. Reminded me in some ways of banjo maestro Bela Fleck with his band The Flecktones.

The excellent and very experienced band (all Bristol based, you had to be there for the band intros)of Andy Christie -guitars, Oli Mason – Drums, Piers Tamplin – Saxophone, Dan Somers- keyboards, Tommy Kirby- 6 string bass worked wonderfully , all great performers in their own right. Suntou was playing a lot of songs from his debut album, KANÉFONYO (Never Give Up), entirely self-written, composed, and arranged. A really enjoyable show thoroughly enjoyed by all present. I would really like to see him and band back again when he next tours.