We Keep Playing

Wah Wah 45s are very proud and excited to announce the debut release on the label fromYouthsayers- an ongoing and enduring South London community project, founded byRobin HopcraftandIdris Rahmanof our very own, legendary Afro-reggae outfitSoothsayers.

Youthsayers was established in 2016 and ever since has consistently provided free of charge opportunities for young people to come together, learn an instrument and perform music under the tutelage of Robin and Idris. This has been made possible, in part, through donations from local businesses and private benefactors, but also live fundraisers and now through commercially released music! Every penny of profit from this single, and the album that is to follow this summer, will go back into the Youthsayers community project.

Keep On Playingis taken from the band's forthcoming LP,Don't Blame The Youth, due for release this June.In 2020, Youthsayers were scheduled to travel to Freedom Sounds Festival in Germany to perform a set celebrating the work of the great Jamaican tenor saxophonist and composer,Tommy McCook. The trip never happened because of Covid, but the songs that had been worked on were a hit with the young people in Youthsayers, and remained in their live repertoire.

A few years later , clarinet playerGiacomo Del Reiannounced that he'd written a song for the McCook instrumental tune,Tenor on The Call. Robin Hopcraft explains more:

"We worked on an arrangement of the song, using the original instrumental version as a template and subsequently performed it at the London Jazz Festival in November 2022. Evidently the band and the audience's reaction toWe Keep Playingmeant it had to be included in the set for the album recording session that took place in April last year. It's a perfect example of how music that was recorded over 50 years ago in Jamaica still resonates, excites, engages and moves young people. We thank and salute the late great Tommy McCook and all the great Jamaican instrumentalists who contributed with their innovation, skill and souls to the music we all love."

If you would like to take part in the Youthsayers programme, or donate to the cause, please go to www.youthsayers.net.

Youthsayers will be launching their LP atPortico Gallery in South London on Saturday June 22nd with a full live show featuringDele Sosimi and support fromPrince Fatty,BigMassive,Dom Servini andSoothsayers featuring Youthsayers alumni.