AN ECLECTIC quintet which blends South African vocals with Celtic reels and Brazilian samba is coming to Dorset this summer.

Kabantu, whose name means 'of the people', will perform two special concerts for Artsreach, the county's touring arts charity, in Studland and Cranborne.

Artsreach co-director Yvonne Gallimore said: “We are incredibly excited to be presenting this outstanding ensemble of musicians as part of our summer programme. World music is incredibly popular with our audiences, and these two concerts are set to be a real highlight of the season.”

Hailing from Manchester, the acclaimed five-piece band, featuring strings, guitar, vocals and percussion, unite indigenous musical strains from several worldwide traditions. They have performed at the Royal Albert Hall, Sage Gateshead and Cadogan Hall, as well as appearing at the BBC Proms and the Cambridge Folk Festival.

In 2018, the quintet released their debut album, Of The People, recorded by Mercury-nominated producer, Gerry Diver. This year, Kabantu are touring England and Wales with Welsh orchestra Sinfonia Cymru, and collaborating with BBC singers.

Artsreach is Dorset’s touring arts organisation, giving rural communities all over the county the opportunity to see and participate in high quality arts events in their own villages. As a charitable organisation, Artsreach aims to make ticket prices accessible to everyone and receives regular funding from Arts Council England and Dorset Council.

*Kabantu will be performing at Studland Village Hall on Friday, August 9, at 7.30pm, and at Cranborne Cecil Memorial Hall on Saturday, August 10, at 7.30pm. For tickets and more information, visit www.artsreach.co.uk