February 9, 2021
Fela Ransome Kuti was born October 15, 1938, in Abeokuta, Nigeria, and is viewed as one of the African continent’s greatest ever musicians. Also an activist, he launched a modern style of music called Afro-beat, which fused American blues, jazz, and funk with traditional Yoruba music.
Kuti was the son of feminist and labour activist Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti who won the Lenin Peace Prize. His father was Anglican pastor Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti who founded the Nigeria Union of Teachers. As a youth Fela took lessons in piano and percussion before studying (1959) classical music at Trinity College London. Fela’s family had wanted him to become a lawyer and in 1958 he left Nigeria for the UK, ostensibly to study law. But many of his close friends maintained that he never intended to follow that line, and that he had made his decision to be a musician from his schooldays.
Foston drummer achieves distinction in Trinity College London diploma
| Updated: 12:27, 12 January 2021
A teenager has achieved a distinction in a drumming diploma from Trinity College London.
Eddie Marshall, 14, recently passed his Associate of Trinity College London drum kit diploma with distinction.
Eddie Marshall passes his ATCL with distinction. (43748893)
Having secured his grade eight in drumming aged 11, Eddie, of Foston, was awarded a music scholarship to Oakham School.
Alongside both his academic and musical studies, Eddie plays in the Oakham Jazz Band and the schoolâs symphony orchestra.
He first began drumming aged four, starting lessons when he was at Grantham International Preparatory School.
STAFF at Poole s Lighthouse Arts Centre say they re working with artists and promoters to reschedule shows cancelled by the third national lockdown. The Poole theatre, which was just getting back on its feet again after riding out two significant closures due to coronavirus, was forced to pause its programme of live performances and close the building due to latest government regulations. Ticketholders for any of the cancelled shows should be contacted directly, staff at the centre say. However, while the centre remains closed to the public its work continues online and behind closed doors. Lighthouse chief executive Elspeth McBain said: For all the right reasons we must call another interval on live shows and our cinema programme.