Pharaoh Russell – “I love the music scene in South London, so many great talents and many venues with so much free music to be seen everyday” Pharaoh is local to Brixton and knows the place well. Growing up on Stockwell Park Estate, Pharoah immersed himself in music from an early age. Drumming has always been the passion of his – first playing the Djembe at the 198 Gallery with lessons from master drummer Henry Gaobi from the Ivory Coast. It was these lessons that laid the foundations for Pharoah’s long-lasting relationship with percussion. Inspirations have stemmed from the likes of Elvin Jones (who his son is named after), Idris Muhammad, Ernest Ranglin, Monty Alexander, Joe Lovano, Joe Zawinul and more, these musicians opened his eyes and allowed Pharoah to explore a whole new side of life. Pharoah performs and writes for his project @mamasutra, a live band expressing a mix of dance, jazz, groove, electronica and more. This summer the band have a jam-packed schedule, performing at the likes of Ronnie Scott’s, Dalston Curve Garden, Wilderness Festival, Letiste Festival in Czech Republic and many more. After the summer, it’ll be time to set foot back in the studio to jam and record some new material. Alongside Mama Sutra, Pharoah reveals his rock side playing with Ese & The Vooduu People and also Jack Tyson-Charles, a notable performer with a smooth soul voice and prowess. There is an abundance of opportunity to see what Pharoah can do with some sticks and a set of drums in the coming months. Follow the link on our bio to discover some of Pharoah’s favourite tracks on our Music of Brixton community playlist on Spotify. Please add any tracks that you would also like to share. 📷 @annafrancesca25 #getatasteofbrixton #jazz #electronica #soul #mamasutra #southlondon