NAILSEA Town Council is involved in a Black History Month event with Nailsea Folk Club as part of the celebrations set to take place across North Somerset.

The event will be held at Nailsea Tithe Barn on Sunday, October 6, 2024 at 7.30pm, featuring Suntou Susso, a multi-instrumentalist, kora player, percussionist, singer and composer from Gambia.

This year has seen Suntou performing at major festivals in the UK and it is a privilege to have him play at Nailsea Folk Club to as part of North Somerset’s Black History Month.

Born a Griot in a 700-year-old tradition, the kora - a harp-lute with 22 strings - is unique to the Griots of the Mandinka people.

Griots have a unique societal role as oral historians, transmitting and preserving a people's culture through the generations in song, music and poetry.

Suntou's family includes some of the world's most highly respected West African musicians.

His musical abilities are outstanding, perhaps unique for his generation.

An in-demand and charismatic performer, he attracted attention as soon as he arrived on the UK music scene. Suntou has collaborated with celebrated jazz singer Sarah-Jane Morris; Guitarist Tony Remy - Ronnie Scott's; Ghazalaw - an Indian-Welsh fusion project on BBC Radio 2, 3 and 6, bass player Davide Mantovani, modern jazz fusion opera singer Pumeza Matshikiza – and has performed on ITV's This Morning.

In the UK he also performs classical kora as a solo artist at sizable theatres, with orchestral productions and across the festival circuit including WOMAD, Hay Festival, Beyond the Border and more.

In The Gambia, Suntou has a huge fan base and has released successful singles and music videos.

These continue to receive daily exposure on national TV and radio.

He also runs fun and engaging drumming and kora workshops in schools, colleges and universities to pass his rich culture and knowledge on to the next generation, for example Project African Experience for Black History Month.

Tickets for the event are £14 and can be booked through https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/nailsea-folk-club Ben Kushner, Nailsea Town Councillor, who is involved with organising the evening said: “I would like to give a big shout out to David Francis of the Nailsea Folk Club and his team for doing a brilliant job in signing up Suntou Susso for the Black History event this year.

"It will be an amazing night.”

If you are interested in the events or joining the club please see the website https://www.nailseafolkclub.co.uk/ or contacts the organisers on https://www.nailseafolkclub.co.uk/contact