Since arriving in Britain from Cameroon in 2001 Alphonse Daudet Touna has worked solidly on building a creative outlet for his musical inspiration and Hélélé is the result. He has played around the world on a journey that has taken him from Cameroon, through France and Italy, to the UK. Now a resident of Bristol, he has formed the band with some of the city's finest session and jazz musicians.

He plays a balafon (an African marimba) he made himself. The rich balafon melody creates another style of afro jazz through a mix of forest rhythms such as Assiko, Bikoutsi, Makouné, Makossa and Bolobo.

The concerts they play are spontaneous and alive. Full of vibration and energy, the band elevate the crowd through the body language of dance. And for the mind, great solos are weaved within the framework of rare grooves and percussion.

His songs bring messages of peace, non-violence and anti-racism. Stories of migration and asylum. Themes of safety and security in the many places people find themselves living.

In Hélélé, Alphonse is currently joined by Jeff Spencer on bass, Matthew Jones on Drums, Neil Smith on Guitar, James Gardiner-Bateman on Alto Sax and Lisa Cherian on Percussion. Individually they are all great musicians in their own right and are involved in a number of other exciting projects.

Credits include Geoffrey Oryema, Monko Maroc, Papa Wemba, Mario Canonge, Guy Sangé, Tom Yoms, Gilad Atzmon.