StringFEST: Festival of Plucked & Bowed Instruments
Soul-stirring music of solo kora and cello with live multi-media visuals. Subtly blending the ebb and flow of traditional kora-playing with dynamic bass-treble contrasts, simply uplifting.
MORE ON THE MAN AND HIS MUSIC.
One of the only musicians and composers to be steeped in both Western and African
music, Tunde Jegede brings these rich musical legacies and sound worlds to this unique
concert. A meeting point of ancient traditions with re-imagined cinematic imagery exploring
old repertoire in a new light, the show is bound to take you on a timeless journey through
ancient Africa.
‘Testimony’ is a solo concert by Tunde Jegede that traces the musical voyage from Bach
and the Baroque to medieval Mali, to his own contemporary compositions. It’s a highly
original show and the imagery gives a sense of these worlds both culturally and
historically. Tunde Jegede’s music is at once an intimate and personal reflection and also a
cultural expression that transcends boundaries. It is a meditative journey that touches on
the essence of our being, through sound and image. This concert is a testament to
Tunde’s universal appeal and shows once again that he never shies away from
challenging the boundaries of music.
THE ARTIST
World-renowned composer, producer, cellist and kora virtuoso Tunde Jegede brings a new
vision to contemporary African and Western classical music. A renaissance man of the
harp-lute with over twenty years experience, his work is a unique synthesis of classical,
jazz and traditional music and embodies the legacy of the idiom; African Classical Music.
Tunde’s work has changed the face of classical and contemporary music in Europe and
Africa. He is one of the only composers in the world to be steeped in both Western and
African Music who is rooted in two cultural musical legacies. Tunde Jegede studied both
Western classical music and the Griot Tradition of West Africa from a very early age,
attending the Purcell School of Music in London and learning from a Master of the Kora in
the Gambia, Amadu Bansang Jobarteh.
This unique cultural inheritance has since informed his work as a composer and multiinstrumentalist,
creating links between European classical music and that of Africa. With
his new solo albums, Heritage and Testimony he has created a set of mirrors between the
old and new world, between compositions for solo cello and kora. Tunde Jegede is, in
himself, a dialogue between contemporary classical music and a renewed vision of an oral
tradition rooted in Malian culture - the Griot visi
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ZAYN MOHAMMED - GUITAR & OUD
"Zayn shows what guitar is all about...its about invention... he's truly a star!" - George Benson. Zayn Mohammed is U.K. based, award winning multi-instrumentalist, composer & guitar extraordinaire.
Growing up playing Flamenco and jazz from the tender age of 3, Zayn appeared on T.V. & recorded his first album at the age of 12 before attending & graduating from the renowned Berklee College of Music, where he received his BA degree in jazz performance & was recipient of ‘Guitar Achievement Award’, twice.
Zayn has received life-long mentor ship from pianist Ahmad Jamal, who was the founder of the 'cool jazz style' & influenced Miles Davis amongst many others. Jamal is a main influence on Zayn’s jazz playing. Zayn has also studied with the great jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter, award-winning bassist John Pattitucci & jazz legend Joe Lovano, while he was in the United States.
Zayn has performed all over the U.S.A at renowned jazz clubs playing jazz festivals such as the Beantown Jazz Festival, & venues such as The Blue Note, NYC where he opened for artists such as Stanley Clarke of Chick Corea & the great Pat Martino.
In addition to the guitar Zayn plays an array of world instruments such as the Oud, (playing Oud on stage with Grammy-award Winning oud player Simon Shaheen), the Sarod (where he has collaborated on Sarod with award winning producer Nitin Sawhney), the Rebab (Central-Asian spike fiddle & instrument played by Rumi), Bendir (Turkish Frame Drum) & The Ney, (Turkish Reed Flute) to name a few!
In coming back to his native London, Zayn was crowned SKY ARTS Guitar Star 2016. He went on to perform the main-stage of Latitude Music Festival in the summer of 2016 & continues to perform on the U.K. circuit, in various contemporary and world music circles.
£15 
5 Tileyard Studios, Tileyard Road, London N7 9AH
Nearest Tube Station
Kings Cross - Circle / Hammersmith / Metropolitan / Northern / Piccadilly / Victoria
