Koral Society

KORAL SOCIETY are a World Folk Trio that combine the world class talents of composer-singer-guitarist Caroline Trettine, kora virtuoso Mosi Conde and double bass diva Alison Rayner. KS perform tight, intricate, melodic music, with inspired vocal exploration and acoustic flourishes. Caroline’s voice has a soft, sensuous melancholy and her love songs are touching, witty and literate. Mosi sings with an exquisitely feeling, liquid poignancy. Koral Society reach out with charismatic playing full of drama and energy. They create moving, intimate atmospheres around soulful songs. Caroline is a warm host introducing the pieces with quirky stories and banter. KS are very supportive of workshops so people can get closer to the band’s musical influences, sources and inspiration.

ALISON RAYNER

Alison Rayner has been a professional bass player and composer since the 1970s. She recorded and toured with jazz Latin group ‘The Guest Stars’ in the 80s, subsequently working with jazz players such as Tal Farlow, Sharon Freeman, Jayne Cortez and Denardo Coleman, Bobby Wellins, Ian Shaw, Jean Toussaint, John Etheridge and Dick Heckstall-Smith.

She formed her quintet, ARQ,  in 2012, releasing their debut CD August in 2014. The band are now touring nationally with a very well-received second CD 'A Magic Life'. Her compositions are also featured on albums by ‘The Guest Stars’, the ‘Deirdre Cartwright Group’, ‘The Chris Hodgkins Trio/Quartet’ and ‘The Vortex Foundation Big Band’. She co-runs ‘Blow the Fuse’ Jazz Club and ‘Blow the Fuse Records’.

'With her big warm acoustic sound, faultless time, tuning and taste and creative solo ability, she clearly belongs in the front rank of contemporary bassists',  Digby Fairweather

MOSI CONDE

Mosi Conde, playing solo or with his band Kaira Kora Afrika, is a kora virtuoso of world class distinction. Mosi celebrates and lives his griot heritage, sharing deep awareness of Guinea and a warm affinity with London: ‘We griots are born in music, every family plays together. Music is our life’. Mosi communicates through his accomplished compositions and performances. His debut album Kaira Kora Afrika achieved critical acclaim in reviews and yielded performances on BBC Radio 3, BBC World Service, Regional BBC, Resonance FM, Community stations & international TV.

High profile concerts and major festival appearances include solo performances at WOMAD, The Royal Albert Hall, for Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton, the Royal Festival Hall (with his Uncle Mory Kante), Tate Modern (In C Mali) . He has a prestigious WOM@ TT Best of British award.

‘Spectacular jawdropping performance ’, DJ Ritu

‘Utterly mesmorising and spellbinding, totally infectious! Truly great music’, Rainlore’s World of Music

CAROLINE TRETTINE

Caroline Trettine, a former singer-songwriter with The Blue Aeroplanes, achieved cult success with her record Be a Devil in the 1990s, on Billy Bragg's 'Utility' label. She has had an eclectic journey through music. Though a mainly acoustic artist, she worked closely with hip hop at this time. In 2001, she released her second album, Ten Light Years. It was produced by Richard Bell (The Blue Aeroplanes). In 2005, Trettine released her third album, Trail In The Sky on Oporto Records run by Spencer Roberts. Caroline was then invited by Spencer to join The Winnebago Orchestra with whom she made two CDs - Fifteen and Born in the sun - on the Tuition imprint of Schott Music, in 2006 and 2008. At the same time, she started up a poetry band Mirabeau with Richard Price (a novelist and poet) and Ian Kearey (The Blue Aeroplanes, Oysterband). They played at the Edinburgh Festival and The Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, releasing their first album Golden Key in May 2011. In December 2011 came her album - Tears - mixing sonnets, blues and Lorca’s deep song. In 2014, Caroline released Gay demo: field recordings from the audio underground. Always open about her sexuality, she created a work of art that encapsulated her experiences of the lesbian and gay community. The 2nd Mirabeau album Age of Exploration was released in 2015..

'Like [Sandy] Denny, Trettine hovers over great melancholy with an almost detached air that only cuts closer to the quick' **** Martin Aston, Q Magazine

'Caroline has pursued one of the most interesting and engaging of paths in music with a vision that is as eclectic as it is heartfelt, you would do well to follow her', Doug Darcy