Seckou Keita at Barbican Centre

Spell Songs is a musical companion piece to The Lost Words by author Robert Macfarlane and artist Jackie Morris; a celebrated ‘spell book’ rich with poetic rhythms and imagined birdsong.
Spell Songs gathers together eight acclaimed and diverse musicians who weave together elements of British folk music, Senegalese folk traditions, and experimental and classical music to create an inspiring new body of work: Karine Polwart, Julie Fowlis, Seckou Keita, Kris Drever, Kerry Andrew, Rachel Newton, Beth Porter, and Jim Molyneux.
Inspired by the words and art of the original book, each musician brings new imaginings, embellishments and diversions which are rooted in personal experience, a deep respect for the natural world, protest at the loss of nature and language or appreciation for wildness and beauty....

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Spell Songs is a musical companion piece to The Lost Words by author Robert Macfarlane and artist Jackie Morris; a celebrated ‘spell book’ rich with poetic rhythms and imagined birdsong.
Spell Songs gathers together eight acclaimed and diverse musicians who weave together elements of British folk music, Senegalese folk traditions, and experimental and classical music to create an inspiring new body of work: Karine Polwart, Julie Fowlis, Seckou Keita, Kris Drever, Kerry Andrew, Rachel Newton, Beth Porter, and Jim Molyneux.
Inspired by the words and art of the original book, each musician brings new imaginings, embellishments and diversions which are rooted in personal experience, a deep respect for the natural world, protest at the loss of nature and language or appreciation for wildness and beauty.
The artists are joined on stage by Robert Macfarlane himself and the acclaimed and award-winning artist Jackie Morris, who will be painting live on stage during the performance.
This show was rescheduled from 18th April 2020.

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