| Biography | Seikou Susso was born in 1964 in Sukuta Nanie in the Gambia. He is from a family of griots known as Jalibas, who tell the History of the Mandingo Ancestry through Music poetry which they express with one of the most authentic African string instrument called The Kora, sometimes known as the African Harp.
In 1991, he came to England and has worked with musicians of many other cultures. Seikou finds this experience very stimulating, as he now plays sometimes with other instruments like piano, violins, harp, cello, double bass, bass guitar, sitar, tabla and keyboard. He gives workshops and performances all over England, Scotland and Wales and sometimes works in educational programmes with well-known African theatre groups like the Zuriya educational theatre company and Kabodou dance group.
Seikou. has conducted many music/dance/storytelling/ theatrical workshops, in primary and secondary schools, developing Griot music and culture. Seikou. has performed solo at many festivals, including Glastonbury and the Virgin festivals (1998 and 1999), in Leeds Rhythms of the City festival and Mela (1999 and 2000), Leeds Talking Reality festival (2000 and 2001), Barnsley's Millennium festival (2000), Morley's Street festivals (2000 and 2001) and the Bradford Mela (2001). He was asked to perform at the launch of the Leeds Millennium tapestry in the Queens Hotel in 2000.
He has his own band. the Allah Lake Afro Mandinka band. which has played at a number of venues in the Leeds area. He has played with other bands, with Bill Gobam's Master drummers at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and with Ibele at the Millennium Dome (2000) and Leeds Talking Reality festival (2001) |