BIO The creative talent behind the hugely successful musical outreach programme ‘Planet Sound Community Arts’, William Sherratt assigns much of the credit for his singular approach to the composition and playing music to his mixed race background. Born to a white English father and Filipino mother, the performer who would develop an international reputation as under the stage persona “Mr Will” first picked up a guitar at the age of eight, already understanding that there was a world of music beyond MTV and Radio 1. He explained: “The concept of different cultures blending to create something new was literally brought home to me because I saw it every day with my parents, and this will always be part of my style of music and approach to performances. Growing up, I absorbed all sorts of music, and it didn’t really occur to me that this was Western or this was African or Eastern, good music was good music and it could be composed, performed and enjoyed everywhere and anywhere.” After studying for over a decade with such varied teachers as legendary Congoloese guitarist Lokassa Y Mbongo in Boston and West African artists from Mali, Guinea and Gambia, Mr Will’s eclectic and playful approach to composition and performance was complete. A highlight at festivals including the Stoke Mela and Drumcamp, Mr.Will continues to break new ground in the music industry. This year will see the release of three original singles which fuse together the feel West African percussion and mainstream British sounds to create a melody which will appeal to music fans the world over. The album will follow in 2012, supported by a tour featuring world-class performers.