Bex Burch: Women Make Music
Bex Burch is percussionist specialising in the Dagaare xylophone or Gyil and composer. Following a series of chance encounters and a keen interest in groove based music / minimalism Burch was invited to be the apprentice to master Ghanaian xylophonist Thomas Segkura and lived in Dagaare Ghana making and playing Gyilli for 2 years. On passing out of the apprenticeship, she was given the name ‘Vula Viel’, meaning Good is Good and shared the name with her own group on returning to UK. Composing for Vula Viel and other projects, Bex explores what it is of the Dagaare tradition that resonates so deeply with her, an outsider, a Yorkshire-woman.
As a performer on percussion and Gyil, with Vula Viel Bex has performed in venues and festivals including Cafe OTO, Purcell Room Royal Festival Hall, and Latitude festival and released the acclaimed album Good is Good in 2015.
January 25th sees the release of sophomore album, ‘Do Not Be Afraid’. Vula Viel have confirmed performances of music from Do Not Be Afraid at Cafe OTO, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, WOMAD and live on BBC3 Music Planet.
As a composer, Bex was selected from hundreds of applications to become one of Sound and Music’s first New Voices and continues to develop her unique voice on both for Vula Viel and further afield.