Seckou Keita Quintet

One of the highlights of the Festival was the performance by SKQ Seckou Keita Quintet from Senegal at the Esperance Civic Centre on the 27th of February.  Seckou Keita travelled from the Perth International Arts Festival where rave reviews resulted in a sell-out performance the following night. Keita wowed the audience with his prodigious musicianship on the Kora (African Harp).

After an opening song from their latest album The Silimbo Passage, Keita introduced the Kora and its importance in Senegalese culture. SKQ played a magical set, enchanting the audience with a blend of African, celtic and jazz-inspired music. After some initial difficulty in working out how to dance to the infectious African rhythms, the audience ended up on the dancefloor. SKQ were begged back for an encore and didn't fail to impress.

The small but highly appreciative audience lifted the roof with applause and cheers and then had the opportunity to meet the band in the foyer and purchase autographed CDs.  The Festival has several copies of SKQ's latest album.

The Festival of the Wind is grateful to the Perth International Arts Festival, SkyWest Airlines and the Esperance Civic Centre for making this performance possible.