
Renowned Footscray percussionist Ray Pereira and his band The Mouth will be previewing their new album at Kindred Studios in Yarraville later this month.
Pereira along with The Mouth co-founder Julien Wilson on saxophone, Robbie Bellchamber on guitar, Quinn Knight on drums and Ashleigh Howell on bass, will perform Afro Cuban, African and Sri Lankan grooves from the as yet untitled new album on Saturday, May 24.
Proving too much percussion is never enough, Pereira’s 50 piece – yes, 50 – community drumming ensemble ’Drum Nation’ will also be performing at the gig, which will be held at the same venue where they have weekly African and Afro Cuban drumming classes with one of the leading authorities in the field.
Pereira has been a percussionist for more than 30 years and has performed and recorded right across Australia and around the world.
In 2021 and Pereira received an Order of Australia medal (OAM) for his services to music, while he’s also been chosen as part of the ‘Face of Footscray’ initiative at the new Footscray Hospital.
When not playing with The Mouth or teaching, Pereira runs drumming and dance study tours to locations such as Ghana, Sri Lanka and South Africa.
But at 7pm on Saturday, May 24, he’ll be onstage in the inner-west doing what he does best: getting his groove on.
The Mouth live album preview show is supported by Maribyrnong council’s ‘Love Your West’ grants program.
The band’s new album will be released later this year.