A HOT fusion of African, Caribbean, jazz and rock will be coming to Worcester when e2K play Huntingdon Hall.

The eight-piece world and roots group generate a party atmosphere with their bubbling mix of Afro grooves, jazzy horns and haunting folk melodies.

The members of the band are renowned in the folk and jazz scenes for their musicianship.

Kellie While, singer with e2K is no stranger to the music lifestyle as she used to tour with her mum Chris While.

"My mum was a singer so I used to go up and sing with my mum when I was young," says Kellie.

"I was singing on my own at the age of 14.

"My father Joe was a pianist and my parents used to play in a duo round folk festivals.

"My mother did not go into music full-time until I was 15, she did it part time until I was older."

Many of you will have heard of Kellie's mum Chris, who joined folk outfit The Albion Band 10 years ago.

She then left and Kellie, now 25, has been a member of the band on and off ever since.

"I've been very lucky, I've got breaks and part of that is due to my mum and because of the Albion Band," says Kellie, from Southport.

The band consist of Kellie on vocals and guitar, Jon Moore on guitar, Andy Morel on sax, Neil Fairclough on bass, Neil Yates on bodhran and whistles, Gareth Warren on melodeon, Paul Francis on drums and Kwame Yeoboah on keyboards and percussion.

e2K formed in February 2000 from a popular reggae and folk band called Edward II.

"The band disbanded when the three Rastafarians left who were the reggae element of the band," she says.

"We called this band e2K because everyone called Edward II, E2 so the name gave this band a head start."

Kellie says she often gets compared to Sheryl Crow and Joni Mitchell.

"I think it's because I've got brown hair and play guitar," says Kellie.

"But sometimes I think it's because of the way I sound."

She says the members of e2K all have different influences as some members were brought up on a jazz background and some on traditional folk.

"Our keyboard player is from Ghana and he only heard of folk music when he joined the band," says Kellie.

"Everyone's got different musical persuasions.

"Our rhythm side is African influenced and dancey - almost salsa.

"The folk comes in as we play folk tunes over the African dance rhythms.

"The brass section is a mixture of folk, jazz, Irish and African influences."

She says the success of the band has been very swift as they formed just over two years ago in February 2000, did a showcase the next month and soon got a record deal with Topic records folk label in Britain.

The band has just started work on a new album which is scheduled to be released in November, this year, and will feature anything from 11 to 14 tracks.

Kellie is also taking part in Huntingdon Hall's Passing Notes scheme which links young folk musicians to experienced, established professionals.

Kellie has been linked with mentee Gjenya Tambray from Devon who plays guitar and sings.

"It's been difficult because she lives in Devon and I live in London so we live hundreds of miles apart," says Kellie.

"She's been studying for exams for her degree and I've been touring from March to May."

Kellie says despite both mentor and mentee being busy she has enjoyed her mentoring role.

Following e2K's performance at Huntingdon Hall on Friday, July 12, Kellie and Gjenya will be holding a workshop the next day at the CrownGate venue.

"We are doing a workshop called the A to Z of singing," says Kellie.

It won't be a specialist workshop and there will be something for everybody.

There will be singing and exercises in diction.

The themes of the alphabet will be used to choose songs, write materials, teach people how to sing clearly and how to harmonise."

The workshop is for people aged 12 and over.

Gjenya will be leading the vocal workshop with Kellie on Saturday, July 13 between 11am and 1pm.

The workshop costs £5 for adults and £2 for under-16s.