This week, we headed to South Croydon to speak with African percussionist Noel. Since moving to Croydon in 2019, his easy-going attitude combined with strong work ethic have seen him transition seamlessly from playing in church and collaborating with Joss Stone in Togo, to teaching children djembe and performing in music venues across London.
How did you get started as a musician?
I was born in Togo (on Christmas day, hence my name!) into a family of musicians. My mum was a singer, and my dad and grandmother were percussionists. I spent my youth touring with my dad and performing in church. After my first holy communion, I upgraded from being a kid on the floor banging a small drum to playing in the adult service brass band. I initially started with the trombone but soon found my way back to the (much bigger!) drums which I loved. Church was an amazing place to grow confidence as a musician and in my late teens, I joined a band outside of the church and started getting paid work as a percussionist.
What brought you to Croydon?
I came to the UK because of my wife. She moved here in 2018 as she got a job working in London in social housing before moving on to a role at the Royal Academy of Engineering. Once she was settled, I joined her in Croydon. I was excited about experiencing a new type of life here, but 6 months later Covid hit. It was an interesting time, especially comparing the experience in the UK to what was going on back home in Togo. There were so many rules here, but I’d speak to friends and family, and they’d still be outside, quite relaxed and free. Not being able to work was hard, but I really enjoyed bringing my drums out each week to accompany the neighbourhood claps for the NHS.
How have you found working as a musician in the UK?
Finding work as a percussionist has taken time. My wife encouraged me to set up an Instagram account and to start connecting with people online (which is how I ended up adding my details to the Creative Directory!) My first gig was with a lady I met on Instagram who invited me to play in her band in Leyton which I’m still part of. From there, I’ve met other musicians who have introduced me to more.
Back home, I was teaching percussion in schools and I planned to do the same here. But it has been so much more complicated. I was told I had to get various qualifications and documentation before I could even approach a school. Then I was told I had to send emails but no one would reply. So, I went to every school in Croydon to introduce myself in person, but no one seemed to like that either. I did however find out that most schools don’t have djembe (African drums) which was going to make it hard for me to teach a class (as at the time, I only had my own). My first (and only!) local project was running music workshops during Black History Month at several schools (including Whitgift and Trinity).
But it all paid off in the end! Five years on, and I am now working with 9 schools across London (including Ealing Music School, various Ark Schools, THAMES in Tower Hamlets, and Wac Arts in Belsize Park). It’s frustrating not to have found a "music hub" in Croydon but I guess this is a good way of me seeing the rest of the city! {note to reader: we've sent on details to Noel about Croydon Music & Arts}.
What does a typical day look like for you?
No such thing – every day is different, especially when working with young people! I teach at 2-3 primary schools a day and at a secondary school once a week. Sometimes the children massively improve or really impress you with something new. Other days, they are tired and struggle. But that’s how music should be. I don’t want to dictate to children and for them to just repeat what I do. I want them to feel free to be creative and to let their feelings guide the process. I never give the same class – and I have a different composition for each end-of-year performance. It’s important for my own development and creativity to try out different things and not become a robot with them. They are like my little laboratory rats where I get to test out new ideas! Then in the evenings and at weekends, I might go to watch some live music or perform with one of my bands.
What are the biggest challenges as a musician?
Currently - finding musicians to play with! At home it was much easier, but here everyone wants to know your life story and see you perform before agreeing to jam together! When I'm performing with my bands (we get paid to play at places like Ronnie Scotts, Ealing Music Festival and Roundhouse) I totally understand this “interview” approach. But as musicians, I believe we should always be open to playing with different types of artists so we can learn new skills. In Togo, there was more openness and willingness to play with new people of all levels. I’m really keen to play with more Afro Beat and Brass Band musicians – so if you’re reading this and know any, please get in touch!
How can local residents make the most of your skills?
In addition to teaching children in schools, I also run Workshops for adults. These have been used by corporate companies for both teambuilding and wellbeing. Banging on an African drum is very therapeutic for releasing tensions and anxiety! As well as learning different music styles and how to play the drums, participants also learn a bit of traditional African language through some of the songs we sing. Learning a new instrument is such a great leveller in a business setting. It doesn’t matter if you’re the CEO or the receptionist, when you walk into my workshop, everyone is a beginner. This helps break down barriers and better connect people (some of whom have worked together for years but barely speak!) I also run Drum Classes for adults on Thursday evenings. I have two sessions at St Augustines in South Croydon (an intermediate session from 6pm-7pm and a beginner session from 7.30pm-8.30pm). We start term on 15 September - come and join us!
What have you been working on recently?
I have completed two projects over the summer that I’ve really enjoyed. One was working with my second band (called Urvashi) to create our own album which we then recorded and released. Then, earlier this month, I had a great time performing at The Big Weekender at Tate Britain. I was part of a roaming band that helped move the crowd around the gallery to see the paintings. It was really different and a fun way to combine different forms of art.
Is Croydon a good place to live and work as a musician?
I’ve struggled to find long term paid opportunities here, but socially it’s been good as there’s lots going on. Once lockdown lifted, I attended quite a few local jam sessions including at Matthews Yard in West Croydon and VR Café, Oval Tavern and Boxpark. More recently, I took part in a Salsa event at The Venue on Middle St. I once applied for the Croydon Food and Music festival, but I never heard back and think it got cancelled this year. I regularly hold drum circles here in South Croydon and have led sessions at festivals in the park here. I love watching live music and have seen various things at Fairfield Halls and Stanley Arts. I’ve also enjoyed watching a band called Stunflower a few times – often at the Oval Tavern. When it comes to opportunities, I’m a big believer that if you don’t go and look for it, it won’t find to you.
What are you working on at the moment?
I’m mostly focused on preparing Autumn Term classes for the kids but I’m also working on a new songs. I want to create something really different that uses both brass instruments and percussion. I’m concentrating on the beat for now, and then I will think about lyrics later. Then longer term, I want to get out touring, both in the UK and internationally. I look forward to taking things that I’ve learnt back home to Togo.
Who would be your dream musicians to collaborate with?
An absolute dream would be Sona Jobarteh who is a British Gambian artist and the world’s first female Kora player {note to reader: the Kora is a string instrument that has been the preserve of men in West Africa since the 13th century}. I would also love to work with the London Afrobeat Collective. I love their energy on stage – it’s almost as strong as mine!
For more information about Noel, visit https://noeldrum.wixsite.com/africandrumming or follow him on Instagram.
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