Duo perform for new St Leonards concert series

They play The Crown House, Marina, St Leonards, TN38 0BE on Friday, April 26 at 8pm with tickets available on http://bit.ly/SuntouSussoRossGrant and more details on www.sounds-stleonards.co.uk

Ross recalls: “We first met at the first gig that I went to after lockdown. It was in Bristol and it was the first gig that we saw with a few friends when we could physically go out again.”

Suntou, a kora player, percussionist, singer and composer from The Gambia, was among the performers: “I messaged him after the gig and said ‘That was great.’ As soon as I heard his singing I just thought it was fantastic. It just took you to a different level. I've always been a massive fan of West African music and world music in general. I've always liked to be inspired by music from other places and at the time I was doing a lockdown project which was 80 different musicians from 80 different countries around the world. One of the things I suggested to Suntou was that he sent me something for that. But as lockdown was coming to an end, I wrapped that project up and we actually met in person.”

The two started jamming and then started performing together.

Suntou said: “I just love the level of his musicality. The way that Ross plays is just incredible. He is very talented and it makes it a lot easier for me to play with him and connect with him in terms of creativity. Other people you might find quite difficult but in the spot we can create something and we just don't have to struggle with it. I think we have similar ways of working. The work that he puts in and the way that I am just really works together and I can recognise that in him and it excites me to play with him.”

Ross added: “I have done all the classical stuff and I've done the grades and went to university but I've always loved folk music from a very young age. We both have that musical background that transports things orally and we both think it's really important to be able to connect with the music. We're trying to connect musically. We're not burying our heads in notes. We are opening ourselves to work together. We are both very much from that folk tradition. As time has gone by we have put together arrangements but there is definitely plenty of improvisation that happens still... but in a structured way. Wherever you are playing music you have to have a common groove. I think that we have got that groove together.”