I recently played at a wonderful event called Funkenteleky. A fantastic event combining spoken word, performance art and improvising musicians. This was one of the highlights for me. Yasmina Silva performed this poem “A Word to the Black Girls”, and I accompanied her. But this was un-rehearsed, with only a copy of the poem in front of me to work off. It was an amazing challenge and experience following Yasmina’s natural speech rhythms and trying to turn that into music whilst also further emphasising the message of the poem. Every Funkenteleky has been amazing for me and I look forward to more in the future!
Billy is a freelance musician performing regularly as a band leader and a sideman. After graduating from South West Music School and National Youth Jazz Collective, Billy enrolled on the Jazz Course at Birmingham Conservatoire. Whilst studying there he has received tuition from artists such as Mark Turner, John Taylor and Jeff Ballard. In 2014 Billy was awarded the "Tony Levin Drum Prize" for the "most swinging drummer" and performed at the UK National Drum Fair alongside Jean Toussaint and Arnie Somogyi. Billy is presently an in demand sideman performing/recording all across the uk with artists such as renowned pianist, John Law. He has also recorded for the BBC series "Father Brown".
