NEHH Presents… London Astrobeat Orchestra performs Talking Heads

The London Astrobeat Orchestra have ignited a movement where cult western band repertoires are blended with African influences and have made quite an impact in doing so.

The band bring together the finest West African session musicians in the UK with legendary band leader and bassist Edd Bateman hosting rhythmic influences from Senegal, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Cameroon and Congo. Featuring members from Kanda Bongo Man’s touring line-up, with Bel-angeni Jeannot Musumbu on guitar, Felix Ngindu Kasanganyi on drums, blues rock and astropheric soundscaping guitarist and vocalist Londoner Julian Burdock, and renowned Guinean Master Griot kora player ‘Mosi Conde’.

Selling out their first four debut shows at The Jazz Café, London, the band were affectionately nicknamed the ‘African Talking Heads’. When you consider the afrobeat vibes that run through all the best Talking Heads albums, it’s both appropriate and correct that this collective of musicians from West Africa, Europe and beyond should offer this completely unique take on the finest of Mr David Byrne and Co’s timeless compositions, and have received critical-acclaim in doing so.