Well hello again – I’m back in the UK again for three weeks then back to the Gambia for the actual festival and the following week another festival at Dombondir in the Casamance. Unfortunately there are political problems in that region so that could affect our plans. We’d hoped to visit Guinea Bassau but they’ve just assassinated their president in a military coup so we’ll probably do a trip within Gambia or Northern Senegal instead.

I stayed with my daughter last night and it’s just lovely to see them and my little grand daughter again. Tomorrow I’m off to Suffolk for 10 days sabar drumming with Modou Diouf – he flew out from Gambia the day before me.

I’m missing P like crazy already – he’s stayed behind to carry on organising things for the festival but it’s the first time we’ve been apart for ages now.

Anyway – I’ll post up some photos of a recent amazing event we went to at a school in Bakaote where a well known artist called Jalex performed for the children. It was extraordinary – you’d never see anything like it in a European school – the sound system was ear bleedingly loud, the teachers were controlling the children with sticks and the kids were going crazy for the music! We’re hoping he’ll play at Kartong.