Young musicians join global stars at Youthsayers 10th Anniversary Fundraiser
On Saturday night, the Portico Gallery in West Norwood was packed. Young Brixton-based musicians shared the stage with legends like Courtney Pine and Dele Sosimi, for a fundraiser marking 10 …
Black News 
On Saturday night, the Portico Gallery in West Norwood was packed. Young Brixton-based musicians shared the stage with legends like Courtney Pine and Dele Sosimi, for a fundraiser marking 10 years of Youthsayers.
The gig opened with a short set from ‘Younger Youth Vibes’ all aged between 8 and 13 years old, before Red Earth Collective took over for a high-energy set featuring Soothsayers, Sosimi, and actress-singer Angela Wynter.
Leading Afrobeat musician Sosimi, who began his career playing with Fela Kuti, has supported the development of the young musicians in Youthsayers, as well as working closely with members of Red Earth and Soothsayers. The result was a joyous performance.
Next, jazz composer and pianist Zoe Rahman enchanted the crowd, and then came a performance from the incredible multi-talented founder of the Jazz Warriors – Courtney Pine. Pine is a patron of Youthsayers.
The final, largest and loudest set came from Youthsayers themselves, an ensemble of 13 to 18-year-olds performing tracks like Fela Kuti’s Water No Get Enemy.
Youthsayers is a charitable music project offering young people aged 8 to 18 the chance to develop musical ability through weekly sessions.
Groups learn new music, explore improvisation, and build performance skills. Perhaps more important, though, is the confidence these sessions inspire. It was evident on the faces of nearly every young performer.
The Youthsayers programme is led by Robin Hopcraft, and Idris Rahman of Soothsayers, who have been a force in the UK's global music scene since 2000, blending Afrobeat, dub, reggae and jazz.
Their latest album Fly Higher is available on Bandcamp.
At a time when the funding and upkeep of arts programs seem to be falling further down the list of government priorities, the Youthsayers 10th Anniversary Fundraiser was a testament to the importance of investment in youth music.
You can find out more here: https://youthsayers.net/
[This report and photos by Luke Dunant]
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