STEVEN Sogo is the most promising singer to have emerged from the central African country of Burundi in years.

This month he will be touring the UK with his band Hope Street, making just two visits to rural Dorset through Artsreach, the county’s charity that takes live theatre, music and comedy to the villages.

Steven sings about life, love and peace in a style that mixes traditional Burundian music with jazz, blues and pop.

He is a virtuoso guitarist and a master of numerous traditional instruments, having taken up the guitar aged 14 in the middle of the civil war to express his wish to live a normal life. His song Il Est Beau Mon Pays, a hymn to the beauty and vast human wealth of his ravaged country, was a huge pan-African hit.

Touring to launch his third album Ndaje, Steven’s music is brimming with hope, optimism and an irrepressible spirit that has seen him achieve first national and then international hits and become the most successful Burundian artist of his generation.

Singing in Kirundi, Swahili and French, the emotion in Steven’s music speaks volumes to anyone willing to listen.

“My music comes from the depths of my heart,” he said. “I say to the youth, never forget the identity of our music. It’s our only wealth.”

He fuses modern instruments with Burundian instruments and takes traditional rhythms and tunes, and rearranges them.

This is a very rare opportunity to experience an intimate, uplifting concert by a Burundian artist in rural Dorset – be sure not to miss Steven Sogo and Hope Street on the Artsreach circuit and dance the night away to their sunshine-soaked music.

You can catch Steven and his band at Evershot village hall on Friday, June 17 at 8.30pm. Doors open at 8pm and tickets, costing £8 plus concessions and family rates, are available from 01935 269512. He will also be at Cranborne Memorial Hall on Friday, June 24 at 8pm. Tickets cost £8.50 plus concessions and family rates and are available from 01725 517883.