Anusha, and brilliant partner, Shrikant Subramaniam of Beeja Dance company giving us a taste of India.
As I write this I cannot help laughing to myself recalling the lady parking a bike at Bloomsbury Square off Theobalds road close to Holborn railway station.
“Gloucester is out of London,” she said almost vehemently when I asked directions to Old Gloucester road which happened to be just two streets away. Looking back I am wondering whether she might have recognised the building i was going to but not the road's name.
Might.
And it is October Gallery that I was searching for on that warm evening of September 26th on a Friday. A jovial fellow pointed Old Gloucester road, barely a minute away.
As I entered the Gallery I kind of felt a quietness that made me think perhaps the chick with the bike was right; maybe, I should be in another town. Maybe the chap with a happy mood was wrong. October Gallery was a basin of beauty and the floor clanked under my shoes. Soon I was engulfed with joy as a woman with a happy smile , whose name is Maya Henebry, beckoned.
“What is your name?”
On a table were the badges. Mine was waiting with Kitoto Band engraved alongside.
Italian Singer-songwriter,Silvia Rox, left, networking...
People of all colours, age and gender strolled around drinking; mouths busy munching. I was directed to the back where a table of grubs laid in wait. It was nice. Everyone busy chatting, muffling away, sipping wine, water, beers, juice or tea.
Acoustic Jazz...
Performers kept on rolling their tunes and words while we listened, subsequently entertained to the most awesome high quality acoustic music, poetry and dancing that would make Mr. Jools Holland envious.
Oh yes; there is alot more than BBC’s unique, albeit great, monopoly.
Modeste Hugues guitarist and musician from Madagascar.
Percussionist Neville Murray (right) was part of those who enjoyed the tasty buzz...
London is littered with unknown artists and musicians of quality. And that is what networking organisations like Cultural Co-operation are proving.
Cultural Co-operationinitiated London Diaspora Capital (LDC) as a unique London-wide network in 1998. It currently comprises over 250 artists: musicians, visual artists, poets,, storytellers and dancers who represent over 60 national and faith communities resident in the city.
Asafo Gyata whose sing along with audience; included chant, poetry and accapella music.
The remarkable evening of September 26th , 2008 was not just a networking event, though. LDC had arranged heavyweights to come and see artists hungry and thirsty for promotion. They included agents, promoters, the press, DJ’s and so on.
Jasmine Esme, MC for the evening
As I made my way out chatting to one of the DJ’s she remarked that Prakash Daswani, Emma da Costa and Zaira Araguete, the hardworking self less team at the helm of Cultural Co-operation should be knighted for their unsung heroism. I tried to smell the lady’s mouth to see whether she was tipsy.
“I have been drinking juice and water all through this wonderful night,” she laughed.
Sober thoughts, noble appreciation.
Safroman veteran singer songwriter, guitarist from Congo-Zaire with Senegalese master drummer musician ,Malo Sonko
CONTACT LDC : info@culturalco-operation.org
Tel: +44-20 7264 0000
Fax: +44-20 7264 0009
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