Photographer: Sal Idriss

(Credit: Tricky (Adrian Thaws) © Sal Idriss / National Portrait Gallery, London)....Did you know that Tricky's a quarter Ghanaian via his late mother, Maxine Quaye?

There is a certain feel about the work of Kumasi born photographer, Sal Idriss that truly captivates, -I hope to work with him someday. Currently working in the music and film industry capturing images of black figures in mainstream culture like artist -Chris Ofili, architect -David Adjaye, the late great Malian photographer -Malick Sidibé, politician –Paul Boateng, fashion designer - Joe Casely-Hayford and actress - Sophie Okonedo (to name a few), he has also worked for publications like: the Guardian, The Times, the Mirror, GQ magazine, Mojo, Scotland on Sunday and ES magazine –and the likes of; fashion house -Commes Des Garcon, the National Portrait Gallery and City Hall.

Idriss has just completed a moving exhibition of his work entitled ‘Famous For The Wrong Reasons’ –a photographic exhibition aimed to educate and deter those vulnerable to gun and knife crime; inspired by the artist’s own experience and a tribute to his brother Nassirudeen, who died in 2007 as the result of an unprovoked knife attack in Islington, a few days before his 17th birthday. ** I’m so sorry that I didn’t find out about this exhibition sooner, –anyway it is over but you can still view some of the photographs from this exhibition at: http://www.richmix.org.uk/aandc_famousforthewrongreasons.htm

**For more information about this fabulous photographers work visit: http://www.sal-idriss.com/

Black Star: Finley Quaye

I first spied the gorgeous Finley Quaye many, many moons ago at the MOBOs -when his single 'Sunday Shining' was riding high in the charts. His positive, rooty, poptastic, sexy, skunking, reggae sound, -was a 'breath-of-fresh-air'. Finley was born with music in his blood; -in Edinburgh to an English mother [she died of a drugs overdose when Finlay was ten years old] and Nii Lante Augustus Kwamlah Quaye aka Cab Kaye; [the brother of noted guitarist, Caleb Quaye and jazz musician Terri Quaye]. He reached the UK Top 20 twice with "Sunday Shining", and "Even After All' -and went on to support/tour with soul legend, James Brown and worked with the likes of; Osibisa, Iggy Pop, Buju Banton, his cousin Tricky [yes the trickster is a quarter Ghanaian] and -many more. Currently living and working on a new album in Berlin, -and about to embark on a tour, -our Finley is most definitely back on the radar and I look forward to much, much more from this talented singer. For more information about Finley and his up coming tour dates -please visit: http://www.myspace.com/finleyquayeuk and http://www.finleyquaye.com