Save the date folks. A fantastic line up of music and dance from around the World. Some new acts and some old favourites.

January 31st, Jubilee Library, Brighton.

Polina Shepherd & Slavic Voices

Slavic Voices present a vibrant selection of folk music from the Slavic world, showcasing the rich cultural heritage found in traditions from far corners of Siberia to the banks of the Black Sea. The choir sings in Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, Croatian, Slovak, Macedonian, Belarusian, occasionally even Romanian or Yiddish. There is freedom and spontaneity in their approach to folklore as well as great attention to cultural context, history and style. Led by Polina Skovoroda-Shepherd, granddaughter of a Cossack and an internationally acclaimed performer, educator and cultural activist, the choir was established in September 2023 and now features approximately 40 singers from diverse backgrounds.
Slavic Voices has collaborated with various artists, including the Macedonian Folk Duo (Filip Arilon and Stojan Stojanov), Maspindzeli Georgian choir (London), Heartwood Chorus in Bristol and the Bulgarian dance group Vezanitsa (Brighton), as well as working with Buffo’s Wake, a UK Klezmer-Punk carnival band.

Peyman Heydarian & Kourosh Kouchakpour

Dr Peyman Heydarian is an award-winning music scientist and santur virtuoso renowned for his innovative tuning
systems and performance techniques that bring a multi-ethnic repertoire to the santur. Peyman has performed around the world in Iran, Syria, Jordan, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Hong Kong, Poland, France, New Zealand, the USA, and the UK, performing solo or with ensembles since 1984. Peyman was born in Shiraz, Iran, with Kurdish roots. He began his musical journey at the age of four, studying Persian music with Mehran Mohtadi, and later deepened his practice in Persian and Kurdish traditions under the guidance of renowned masters such as Mojtaba Mirzadeh, Ardeshir Kamkar, and Pashang Kamkar.

Kourosh is a Kurdish musician from Iran, he plays Tar (A Persian stringed instrument ‘Tar’ means ‘String’ in Persian). Here he plays a compilation of Kurdish and Iranian folk songs as well as a piece from the Lorestan region of Iran.
Many of the songs have not been written down, but are passed through generations by memory. They are well known to people from the region and the diaspora. The music is performed in different keys, depending on the mood and subject matter of the songs.

Kourosh also plays percussion instruments and performs with several musicians at concerts. He works with community projects to promote integration and greater cultural understanding.

Isaac Jengwa

Isaac Jengwa is a Zimbabwean-born, UK-based singer-songwriter, guitarist, and creative entrepreneur whose music fuses indie-folk, soul, and African roots into a heartfelt sound of unity and resilience. Known for his powerful vocals, intricate guitar work, and socially conscious lyrics, Isaac performs across the UK, often curating intimate events like Soul & Strings, and Acoustic Open Mics through his company Zac J Media Ltd.

Based in Eastbourne, he is passionate about building community-centred art and culture across “Small Town England,” creating spaces where stories, music, and humanity connect. His work reflects his belief that creativity heals, inspires, and brings people together — a philosophy shaped not only by his artistry but also by his role as a child-support practitioner in therapeutic care. Through music and media, Isaac continues to celebrate unity, authenticity, and the power of shared expression.

Jo Ema

Joanna Dziecielska & Ema Pavlakova, adventures with violin and accordion. Playing a mixture of folks songs from Eastern Europe.

Bashir Al Gamar

Bashir Al Gamar was born in Sudan, he came to England in 1993, after being imprisoned for his poem ‘Patience on a beach’ Since then he has lived in Brighton. He is a poet, songwriter and composer, since 1991 he has written and composed more than 40 poems and songs, mainly in Arabic. Most of them are well known in his home country, Sudan. Some of his songs have been recorded by Sudanese National TV and radio. At present he is working on a new collection of poetry called ‘Rhythm and Resonance’ He is also planning to perform his poetry in several countries with a Sudanese singer. Bashir has taken part in several art exhibitions and poetry readings in the UK, in Cardiff, Liverpool & Bristol. Bashir has a new CD release, in aid of people affected by the war in Sudan. Details are here