Musings on A Tuba to Cuba – Images of Brass and Percussion

I was in New Orleans over the New Year. I’m a big fan of the music and even back at home in London constantly listen to the New Orleans local radio station WWOZ. During my trip I was listening to the station and came across an interesting track. I recognised the melody which I’d sung … Read more

Red Flow

A couple of weeks ago I had a dream which I only recollect in part. On waking the overwhelming feeling I was left with was a moving experience of emotional connection. In the dream I remember seeing a group of women all dressed in red, Handmaid’s Tale-style. I was with another woman from one of … Read more

Hot Days and Hand Fans

Nowadays in addition to carrying my red metal water bottle I make sure I have a little folding paper fan with me. Although it doesn’t help that much on the hot, airless carriages of London Underground I am usually grateful for the relief this simple classic device provides. I’ve always like the look of fans; … Read more

Intense colour: some portraits and abstracts

A few days ago I went to the Afro Cuban Music night run by Bombo Productions which was preceded by a dance class given by Cuban dancer Miguel Gonzalez. Here’s a picture I took of Miguel that night: The Afro Cuban music night is a monthly event, below are a two more portraits taken in … Read more

Conga Drums and Nostalgia

A few weeks ago I took some photos of musician Daniel Marruzzo at London’s Afro Cuban Music Night. He is about to play a conga drum and the lighting gives the whole image a red glow: The conga drum looks red but isn’t. From time to time I miss my old red conga drum. A … Read more

Percussion & The Afro Cuban Music Night

Back in May I wrote a blog post highlighting images of dance and movement at the monthly Afro Cuban Music Night in London. I wanted to post some new images featuring musicians and percussion instruments. This is Richard Sweet on okonkolo, the smallest of the three batà drums used to play traditional Afro Cuban music: This … Read more

New Images of Dance at London’s Afro Cuban Night

It’s been a few months since my last post on London’s Afro Cuban Music Night and I’ve wanted to do a piece highlighting images of dance. The following three photographs allude to dance using fragmentation – parts of the body to suggest the whole.  The dancer is an Italian called Cesare. In the photo below … Read more

Images of London’s Afro Cuban Music Night

London’s Afro Cuban Music Night is something I look forward to. Currently taking place the first Monday of each month. I find myself multi-tasking; singing, dancing and taking photographs. Here are a few of my favourite images from the last couple of months. In the first few images hands are a central theme; whether clapping … Read more

London’s Afro Cuban Night and Travels with Percussion

The first Tuesday of every month sees London’s Afro Cuban Music Night, run by musicians Vicky Jassey and David Pattman of Bombo Arts. I’ve written several posts about this night, but not since last summer so I thought I’d update with some pictures I’ve taken in the last few months.  The evening consists of two … Read more

rhythm and clapping

Amongst the first words I ever uttered was the Farsi phrase “das das”.  It literally means “hand hand” and was accompanied by repeated simultaneous clapping movements – das das, das das  – an endless source of entertainment and distraction when Bibi, my paternal grandmother who I lived with, played with me in this way. Later on … Read more