Alicia Davies

Many years’ ago, after completing a Graphic Design degree at St Martin’s School of Art, Alicia Davies’ life was turned on its head by the power, vitality, and joy of West African music. In no time, an absorbing fascination became a career, which has created opportunities to perform on international stages with artists from around the globe.

During that time, she has repaired Peter Gabriel’s drums and written a book, “Finding the voice of your drum”, on fundamental Djembe techniques. She has had many years’ experience of facilitating both educational and corporate workshops alongside artists from West Africa, in venues around the world and the UK.

The love and practice of African music has given Alicia a passport to many musical experiences: having performed at prestigious venues/events such as the Royal Festival Hall, National Theatre, Purcell Room, and at Womad festival with West African artists and companies including Badejo Arts, Jelimasa, Sabari, Jamo Jamo Arts, Senegal’s Daby Balde and Doudou Cissoko as well as Ghana’s Atongo Zimba and Madagascan guitarist Modeste Hugues. The same musical experiences also influence Xi.am, her own creative project, which blends the earthy sounds of African instruments with elements of jazz, poetry and electronics.

Alicia is the driving force behind Doudou Cissoko’s current touring project, “Ancient Strings and Fabulous Things’, which has been performing to sell-out audiences in the South West this Autumn.

www.myspace.com/aliciadavies