THE term 'it's a small world' springs to mind when you hear how two members of the up-and-coming music act Angel Brothers met.

Percussionist and co-founder member Keith Angel, from a small pit village near Doncaster - was travelling around Spain about a year ago looking for new music when he met Harprit Singh Sahota on a train from Malaga to Seville.

"He was sat across from me tapping the table top and I just asked him in my rather poor Spanish where he was from," said Keith.

"I thought he was going to say somewhere exotic but he said he was from Telford - it was strange but good for us because we needed a tabla player.

"We were just both really interested in music and playing together and became fascinated by each other's record collections and it just came from that."

Keith - who had been playing music with his brother Dave since the age of 14 - then asked fiddler Becki Driscoll to join after they asked her to get up on stage at a gig in Essex and were impressed by her playing - and the band line-up was almost complete.

A chance meeting with Dave Formula of Magazine and Visage fame led to him also being recruited.

The band, pictured above, has since been touring solidly, playing scores of venues and outdoor gigs, including the Womad Festival in Reading, Glastonbury Festival and the Cambridge Folk Festival.

Their debut album From Punjab to Pit Top received good airplay and they have also received applause from BBC music presenter and DJ Andy Kershaw, who they recorded a session with for BBC Radio One.

Now the group, who are nearing the end of their 25-date UK tour, will be paying a visit to Worcester's Huntingdon Hall on Thursday - where they will be hoping their peculiar music falls on appreciative ears.

The sound they create is best described as cinematic roots-funk, mixing western dance grooves, traditional and classical Indian patterns, folk tunes and acoustic guitar melodies.

"It's very rootsy. The tabla gives it a very twirly sound and we put a big groove backing to it," said Keith.

"Our albums have got a very worldly flavour and are quite eclectic like people's record collections.

"The exciting thing about music is pushing it forward and in our own way we're trying to do that and people seem to like it.

"At first they say 'what is this strange combination?' but, after a while, it makes perfect sense and they get into it."

Their latest album Forbidden Fruit - released in September and part recorded in Keith's kitchen and a barn - features guest vocalists Jasvin Dersingh, from India, and Lara Lopez, from Seville - as well as Andy Seward from Kate Rusby's band.

Keith said once the tour had ended they hoped to take some time off before working on new material.

"It's been going really well so far - we play in the most unusual places and always seem to attract an audience.

"I think we'd like to continue what we're doing and appeal to a bigger audience - not just world music fans.

"I think the label world music seems to put people off but when they discover what's going on under that they find a lot of fascinating, interesting music worth exploring."

Asked about what he felt about the present music scene, Keith - whose current favourite artists include Curtis Mayfield and Mory Kante - said he felt it was in the process of change.

"I think what we've got is a popular groundswell of opinion against manufactured stuff that is being served up pre-digested," he said.

"The gigs on the ground that are happening are ones that involve real music and there's a strong comeback after years of synthetic rubbish, with people looking for something that's a real experience."

Tickets for the Angel Brothers concert are priced £10, concessions £9, and are available from the box office on 01905 611427.

More information on the band is available at www.angelbrothers.co.uk

Plenty of satisfaction from good-time band

A GROUP of people including a truck driver, scientist, teacher and local Government employees might seem like an odd combination.

But a love of music has brought this unlikely band of characters together though in the form of Midlands music group Soul Satisfaction, right.

The soul covers band initially formed in 2002 but the present 10-piece line-up only came together in spring this year after several new members were recruited.

The group play classic soul numbers from the 60s and 70s.

And their performances are littered with tunes from the likes of Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding and James Brown.

"It's our love of the music which has kept us together," said guitarist Jonathan Middle, from Birmingham, who rates current artists such as Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse and Jamie Cullum.

"We get on fantastically well together and enjoy playing really.

"It's why we love playing - it's all about getting people up on the dance floor, having a good time."

Since forming, the members - who all have day jobs and hail from across the Midlands have been touring the regional pub and club circuit, including a performance at the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham.

And they are now hoping to move things up a notch with a gig at Worcester's Bamboo Nightclub tonight. Tickets are £3 and the band are due to be on stage at about 9.30pm.

The band currently has a demo CD out - available via their website: www.soul-satisfaction.co.uk

Chance to win this CD compilation

VARIOUS - ULTIMATE 80S out November 22

THE perfect opportunity presents itself here in this two-CD-compilation to revisit the decade that, some might argue, taste forgot.

Timeless tunes such as The Specials' Ghost Town and The Jam's Town Called Malice sit alongside a clutch of cheese-laden tracks including Wham's I'm Your Man, Dolly Parton's Nine To Five and Ray Parker Junior's Ghostbusters.

This is sure to find a place in many a party-goers' heart over the Christmas season - even if it is just to do Rocky impressions to Eye of The Tiger.

We have one copy of the album and two VIP tickets for Worcester's Chicago Rock Caf to give away to one lucky winner, plus four runner-up prizes of copies of the album.

All you need to do is answer the following question:

What Dolly Parton song features on the compilation?

Answers should be sent on a postcard, no later than Thursday, November 25, to:

Eighties Competition, Nightlife, Evening News, Hylton Road, Worcester.WR2 5JX

REVIEWS

with Joby Mullens

THE FINN BROTHERS - EVERYONE IS HERE out now

THE Kiwi brothers were once the darlings of the pop world as the driving force behind Crowded House - who created a wealth of catchy radio-friendly tunes (Weather With You, Don't Dream It's Over..) before their mid 90s split.

Now, almost 10 years on and they're back together with a new album.

A little bit older and wiser (and with a few more grey hairs), the resulting output from the duo is a pared-down feel capturing the beauty and charm of their songwriting talents and blissful vocal harmonies.

Homesick sounds like a down-tempo Locked Out while latest single Nothing Wrong With You is an emotion-drenched number featuring a rousing chorus.

Meanwhile Edible Flowers is all orchestral grandeur with its string backing and the piano driven Gentle Hum is a sombre tear-jerker and fitting close to the album.

Crowded House fans should definitely investigate this one.

THE EARLIES - MORNING WONDER out now

STONED grooves and carefree vocals combined to create the ultimate tune to watch the sun rise to.

With two of The Earlies' band members from Dallas and Texas originally and one each from Manchester and Burnley respectively, this could possibly be the best Anglo-American collaboration for a while.

MARK LANEGAN BAND - HIT THE CITY out now

BEFORE you've got a chance to say 'they don't make them like they used to any more' along comes this filthy-raw blast of rock 'n roll like some swarthy cowboy riding into no-man's land...

..and who better to share saddles with than rock goddess PJ Harvey, who adds her distinctive vocals to the song.

Also features B-sides Mad Pink Skag and Mirrored.