Ravin Jayasuriya joined the Manchester based percussion group Inner Sense in ''91 after completing a Popular Music and Recording Course at the University College of Salford, Manchester, England. Over the last ten years he has specialised in Brazilian and Cuban percussion and has focussed on the more traditional styles from these two countries.

He has made several research / study trips to Cuba and Brazil and has worked with many UK & international artists including Amelia Pedroso, Arturo Martinez Cabrerra, Santiago Garzon Rill & Leonardo Planche Lara (members of Clave y Guaguanco), Marta Gallaraga, Reynaldo Lopez, Dudu Tucci & Murah Soares.

He has led a number of percussion workshops in several parts of the world including Singapore, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Oman, Germany, Ireland and throughout the UK as well as jointly coordinating projects involving dance and theatre. He is currently performing with Dudu Tucci & Murah Soares (Afro-Brazilian Folkoric & Popular), LaTimbala (Afro-Cuban Folkoric & Popular) Xuba (new music mixing percussion with electronica) & Silkstone (fusion of soul, jazz & percussion).

Ravin formed One Voice Music in 1996 and has gradually established an organisation dedicated to teaching Cuban and Brazilian percussion and dance, aimed at all levels of ability.

Dudu Tucci was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1955. He began to play music at an early age and played for Umbanda ceremonies when he was still in his childhood. After school he studied classical percussion, flute and musical science at the Brooklyn Paulista conservatory.

From 1975 on he travelled across Latin America where he explored and studied various ethnic music traditions & developed the deep spirituality which accompanies his music. In 1989 he developed a percussion education course called 'Raizes do Brasil' and released his first solo CD 'Odudua'.

He has performed in many parts of the world both as a soloist and with his groups including in Korea, Japan and various countries in Europe in collaboration with and alongside artists such as the Korean Percussion Ensemble 'Samul Nori' directed by Kim Duk Soo, Olodum, Caetano Veloso, Trilok Gurtu, Nana Vasconcelos and Los Papines.

He performed at the first Brazilian percussion festival in Salvador de Bahia in '92 and in '95 he played at the International Percussion Festival in Koblenz next to Patato Valdez and Glen Velez and headlined at the Drogheda Samba Festival in Ireland in '97.

In '96 he was invited to lead the Manchester Encontro and so began his teaching work in the UK. Since then he has held workshops throughout the UK & Ireland including in Manchester, Liverpool, the Peak District, Paisley, Glasgow, Kilbride, South-west Wales, Devon,Tiree and Dublin.

His premier UK performance tour with Murah Soares & Ensemble was in '99 and in 2000 he brought the spectacular Afoxe Loni project (created with Krista Zeissig-Tucci & Murah Soares) to the UK for the first time. This year he will release his sixth solo CD INAE.

Dudu Tucci

Murah Soares is a professional Afro-Brazilian Dancer and Choreographer who is regarded as one of the greatest talents in Afro-Brazilian dance. He was born in 1962 in Sao Paulo, Brazil where he went on to study classical ballet as well as modern dance. But his bond to the Candomble religion in which dance is an important element of ritual has always stood in the foreground of his dance work.

He established himself as a teacher of Afro-Brazilian dance at several dance academies in Sao Paulo before moving to Europe where he has given workshops in many countries including Germany, Holland, Denmark, Switzerland, England & Ireland. He has been living in Berlin, Germany since '91.

He has worked on a number of productions combining music and dance particularly with percussionist Dudu Tucci with whom he has presented many shows including Obaluaiye', 'Dances of the Elements' & 'Rhythms & Dances of the Gods' in which he brings the colourful ritualistic dances of Candomble to life with his energy and magnificent costumes creating a truly visual feast.

In '97 he began to build up the Afoxe Loni project together with Krista Zeissig and they brought in Dudu Tucci to direct the music. They paraded at the 'Carnival of Cultures' in Berlin in '97 and since then this project has grown in number and popularity and was presented in England for the first time in 2000.

              Murah Soares

HELEN REILLY
Apart from Afro-Brazilian dance Helen has studied a wealth of dance styles, including contemporary, flamenco, Egyptian belly dance and West African.

During the past few years however her primary interest has been with the teaching and performing of Brazilian dance forms such as samba, samba reggae and candomble. She teaches regular workshops throughout the Northwest for both children and adults as well as co-ordinating community dance projects.

Helen has performed at numerous festivals throughout England as well as venues in Manchester such as Band On The Wall, Contact theatre and the Zion Arts Centre.