Inner City Music Ltd

We Face Forward is Manchester's dazzling summer season of contemporary art and music from West Africa, which took place at various city centre venues between June and September. It involves a travelling art bus and features painting, photography, textiles, sculpture, video, music and sound work from 32 artists from nine West African countries. Band on the Wall TV presents footage from the festival including a selection of the artists installing and talking about their work with music by The Endless Journey, a group of musicians from Niger who performed at The Royal Northern College of Music as part of the festival's music events programmed by Band on the Wall. This video features Emeka Ogboh (Nigeria), Meschac Gaba (Benin), Pascale Marthine Tayou (Cameroon), Barthélémy Toguo (Cameroon), Aboubakar Fofana (Mali), Victoria Udondian (Nigeria), Nii Obadai (Ghana), Amarachi Okafor (Nigeria), Georges Adéagbo (Benin), Romauld Hazoumè (Benin), Duro Olowu (Nigeria) and Creative Hands Foundation. Filmed by Band on the Wall TV

Band on the Wall present a series of films about African music concerts which took place in Manchester from June to September, as part of the London 2012 Festival, called We Face Forward. Taking the essence of the Baay Fall philosophy, the outspoken qualities of hip-hop, and musical elements of jazz, soul, rap and acoustic roots, Carlou D is an illuminating presence on stage, making him one of Senegal's next great musical exports. Filmed by Band on the Wall TV

Band on the Wall present a series of films about African music concerts which took place in Manchester from June to September, as part of the London 2012 Festival, called We Face Forward. This concert features Gambian musician Jaliba Kuyateh, which took place at Band on the Wall on 29th June. Jaliba Kuyateh, often known as the King of The Kora, has made the ancient and very traditional music of the Mandinka into what is sometimes called kora pop. Here he performs with his group The Kumareh Band. Filmed by Band on the Wall TV Edited by Graphic Quarter

Band on the Wall present a series of films about African music concerts which took place in Manchester as part of the London 2012 Festival, called We Face Forward. Since his early discovery as a 16-year old keyboardist by world-famous Fela Kuti, who brought him into his band Egypt 80, Dele Sosimi rose to prominence as musical director of the 30 piece band during the 80s and 90s. Whilst at the helm he hatched a plan for a new more aggressive sound, featuring shorter songs and tighter arrangements with Fela's son Femi Kuti. The result was the band Positive Force, with whom he toured globally for a decade, honing his craft and exploring all the richness of this amazing music. Dele Sosimi stands out as one of the most active musicians currently on the Afrobeat scene worldwide. His band Afrobeat Orchestra recently gained international acclaim through their performance in Fela! the famous Broadway musical. Filmed by Band on the Wall TV

Band on the Wall present a series of films about African music concerts which took place in Manchester from June to September, as part of the London 2012 Festival, called We Face Forward. The third concert to be featured -- with Seckou Keita, Senegal's master of the kora, Africa's magical 21-stringed harp -- took place at The Printworks on 23rd June. Born into a traditional Griot family, where music and stories are passed down through generations from father to son, Seckou was destined to take up this traditional instrument. He is one of the few champions of the less-known and rhythmically rocking kora repertoire from Casamance in southern Senegal. This very special concert coincided with Manchester's Olympic Torch Relay event and proves why Seckou Keita is recognised as a multi-talented, charismatic live performer. Filmed by Band on the Wall TV

Band on the Wall presents a series of films about African music concerts which took place in Manchester from June to September as part of the London 2012 Festival, called We Face Forward. Musicians from two of Niger's leading groups -- Etran Finatawa and The Mamane Barka Ensemble -- performed at The Royal Northern College of Music in July. The Endless Journey is the title of a touring event that is a live music show, a documentary film and a photographic exhibition recounting the musicians' attempts to stem the haemorrhaging of Niger's cultural heritage in a powerful music performance accompanied by images and film. In partnership with the Womad Foundation, a creative learning experience for schools has been put together which is led by the musicians of Endless Journey to educate and inspire children to value their cultural heritage by meeting extraordinary musicians who have travelled and performed their traditions worldwide.

Band on the Wall present a series of films about African music concerts which took place in Manchester from June to September, as part of the London 2012 Festival, called We Face Forward. The first musical event to be featured -- with Grammy-nominated act AfroCubism -- took place at The Bridgewater Hall on 3rd June. AfroCubism was a project which was first conceived in 1996. The plan was to bring Cuban musicians and their Malian counterparts together to record in Havana and explore their shared musical history. But the Malians didn't make it to Cuba and so an exclusively Cuban album was recorded instead and so began the legend that became the multi-million selling Buena Vista Social Club. At this gig, we finally see the Malians and the Cubans united on stage together. The all-star cast of world class musicians includes Buena Vista original Eliades Ochoa alongside Toumani Diabaté, Djelimady Tounkara, Bassekou Kouyate and Kasse Mady Diabaté. Eliades Ochoa and Djelimady Tounkara tell the incredible story of how AfroCubism finally got together. Filmed by Band on the Wall TV

Born in Bitetto, Italy, the son of a popular song singer, during his youth sang in various small choirs. Years after he accompanied Franco Califano, Peppino Di Capri, Fred Bongusto, Rosario Fiorello and others on their Concert tours. After a long series of participations with Italian and international artists, and a small production of disco music, during 2006 he achieved success with the Schema Records album Handful of Soul. In November 2009 Mario Biondi released "If" and the first single "Be Lonely" on the Tattica label. The album shot up the charts and went triple - platinum. Since then he has gone from strength to strength packing auditoriums across the world. His deep and warm voice recalls the legendary interpreters of soul and rhythm and blues music. Referencing greats like Barry White, Issac Hayes and Lou Rawls, at the same time he gives his own spin to the soul and jazz genres. Filmed by Band on the Wall AV Uint ( Panasonic pan & tilt camera and handheld) Clive Hunte

Hailing from New Orleans, the Soul Rebels' jazz-flecked music is the blood that pumps through that city's body coupled to funk, ska, hip-hop, with harmony vocals and more catchy horn lines and solos than you can shake a stick at. "The most adventurous of all the New Orleans brass bands...The Soul Rebels are the missing link between Louis Armstrong and Public Enemy." Village Voice "Utterly uninhibited hip-hop hybrid, not to be missed" Rolling Stone Magazine Following their jaw-dropping concert at Band on the Wall last year, Soul Rebels have gone from strength to strength. They now receive massive attention wherever they paly their intoxicating mix of traditional New Orleans jazz brass flecked and rippled with hip hop and funks flavours. If jazz music is the heart of New Orleans, then the Soul Rebels' music is the blood that pumps through the city's body. The Soul Rebel embrace the rich jazz traditions of their homeland but add life-affirming vocals and hip shaking grooves aplenty. Couple those elements to funk, ska, hip-hop, with harmony vocals and more catchy horn lines and solos than you can shake a stick at. Filmed by Band On The Wall AV Unit on Wed 25th July 2012

Following up on Easy Stars All-Stars' hugely successful reggae tribute albums Dub Side of the Moon, Radiodread and Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band (2009) comes the New York-based reggae tribute super-group's adaptation of the greatest selling record of all time -- Michael Jackson's Thriller! For those who don't know, Easy Star All-Stars is the reggae collective consisting of a rotating roster of musicians and singers founded by Michael Goldwasser, Eric Smith, Lem Oppenheimer and Remy Gerstein of New York's Easy Star Records. They are perhaps best known for their brilliant warping and reworking of classic albums in a reggae and dub style - most famously Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon as Dub Side of the Moon; 2006's Radiodread, a song-by-song cover of Radiohead's OK Computer and The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band entitled Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band. Last year they released their first original album entitled First Light. Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the original, Easy Star's Thrillah. Filmed by Band on the Wall AV Unit on Fri 2nd November 2012

Band on the Wall presents the first ever Manchester concert by the internationally-acclaimed, Grammy-nominated 'First Daughter of Soul' Lalah Hathaway. The daughter of the late great soul singer Donny Hathaway, her incredible voice, described by Rachelle Ferrelle as "rich, melted organic chocolate" has often been rightly compared to that of her father's - deep, mellow and complex. Yet her music is very much her own and, having worked with everyone from Dizzy Gillespie, Al Jarreau and Chaka Khan to George Benson, Mary J. Blige and Stevie Wonder, she's built upon on her soul foundations exciting new layers of jazz, R&B and even funk to produce stunning songs that, alongside her sensational voice, have garnered her a world-wide following. Filmed by Band on the Wall AV unit Tue 13th November 2012

Angélique Kidjo performs at Royal Northern College of Music with Manchester World Voices Choir, led by Audrey Mattis. This was a trailer event for the We Face Forward Festival of Music and Art from West Africa taking place in Manchester as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad events. Grammy award-winning singer Angélique Kidjo from Benin, is one of Africa's most powerful and charismatic stars, mixing driving dance rhythms and passionate political lyrics with her own extraordinary stage presence. She reaches huge numbers internationally with her recordings, tours and philanthropic work, her joy and passion embodying the spirit of Africa.

Dele Sosimi was musical director of the critically acclaimed Fela! at London's National Theatre, and Band on the Wall is thrilled to announce that he'll be performing on our stage with his very own Afrobeat Orchestra as part of We Face Forward. This clip was filmed during his rehearsal in London.

Dubbed "the Hendrix of the Sahara", Vieux Farka Toure is one of the hottest talents on the contemporary African music scene. Son of the late maestro and two-time Grammy Award-winner Ali Farka Toure, his music heralds a new generation of Malian desert blues. A highly gifted guitarist, singer, songwriter and percussionist, Vieux has reinvented the fusion music his father created—bringing funk, reggae, and jam music to the desert-blues genre and carrying this new sound worldwide. Utterly astonishing live, Band on the Wall is delighted to bring one of Africa's greatest new stars to Manchester for this very special concert. Filmed By Band on the Wall AV Unit Tue 14th February 2012

Geordie electronic duo Smoove & Turrell are at the head of the pack of the new UK funk and soul scene. Fronted by the fabulously gutsy and gravelly voice of Turrell, they mix up contemporary electronic soul rhythms with old school stylings to wonderful effect. With an obvious love and northern soul and deep, dancefloor-bumping funk. Filmed by Band on the Wall AV Unit Sat 17th December 2011 Pan & Tilt Camers: Clive Hunte Handheld Camera: Rose Freedman