West African music and culture also influenced his conception of Steam Down. That was an informal training which taught me a lot about music from another perspective.” “After Trinity my learning continued and I played a lot of music from West Africa.

It’s not just about myself as a saxophone player.”Īfter formal training at Trinity College of Music, Ahnansé stayed in South East London. I think that Steam Down and the other things that I do all relate to that. But I would see myself more as a music conceptualist. In terms of the instruments I play, saxophone is the first thing and piano goes along with that as a composing tool of course, and then there’s a lot of electronic stuff as well. Improvisation is what got me into music.”įrom there Ahnansé learned the saxophone, stating “I just enjoyed the physicality of it.

I didn’t quite understand it but I understood that it was really free- flowing. I was just inspired by that and the improvisatory nature of it.

“I remember hearing him improvise over Herbie Hancock’s Chameleon and also Giant Steps at that age. It’s multiple things but definitely a space to develop creativity.”Īround the age of 14, Ahnansé heard a pianist in his GCSE class improvising. “It’s a sub-cultural movement, centred around a collective of musicians, writers and creators with a weekly event on Wednesday, and a touring band and orchestra in the process of making a record. What is Steam Down? The creator behind Steam Down, Ahnansé (aka Wayne Francis) describes it best.

Steam down now