Omar Sosa and Seckou Keita at St George’s
When I saw that not one but TWO of the artists I have interviewed for the show were playing a gig together in Bristol, I knew I had to go. Both of the interviews had been over Zoom so I hadn’t met either of them in person before. I got in touch with Omar before the gig to let him know I would be there and he said to come and find him afterwards to meet.
The gig, which was at a beautiful venue called St Georges in Bristol, was amazing for a few reasons. First of all, I had never seen a Kora player live since I had started doing the show. The Kora is for sure my favourite instrument to listen to now, and to hear Seckou play it live was really special.
Secondly, Omar Sosa’s piano playing and his use of synth sounds were a perfect accompaniment to the sound of Seckou’s Kora. The deep connection between the music of Jazz, Cuba and West Africa was clear to hear.
And finally, Gustavo Ovalles of Venezuela was playing percussion for them and I have never seen a percussionist as creative, talented or playful as him. He played a wide variety of instruments, many of which I don’t have a name for. He can play Maracas like you wouldn’t believe but he also played water. Yes, you read that right - he played a container of water which had a constant trickle flowing, which he manipulated with his hands as well as splashing and tapping the water. He used a loop machine to create a loop for the band to play over. I didn’t manage to video it unfortunately so my rough description will have to do but trust me that it was an incredible experience to watch it.
After the gig I had arranged with Omar that we would meet and have a drink. He drinks natural wine so I grabbed a lovely bottle from Idle Moments on Columbia Road (excellent record, audiophile and wine store, what’s not to like) before I left for Bristol. Omar had been touring for a month and hadn’t had a drink the whole time so he REALLy appreciated a glass and we shared it around with the band and a couple of friends so everyone could have a drop.
It was great to meet Omar and Seckou, they both have great energy and are really good company too. We spent an hour chatting and hanging out before they headed off to their hotel. It was a special evening for me and I look forward to seeing them play again soon. In fact, I’m going to see Seckou play with Katrin Finch on the 8th of June at Union Chapel and I can’t wait!
