CARNIVAL comes to Kirkbymoorside early next month when the fiesta sounds of Latin American dance music will have everyone on their feet at a fundraising Brazilian Dance Party.

Yorkshire’s only Forro band, Forro Porro, will keep the party in full swing at the Memorial Hall on Saturday, April 4, and all proceeds from the 8pm event will be donated to Ryedale Special Families.

Forro Porro are a relatively new collaboration between Frankie Banham and Pete Jack of Mambo Jambo and Sam Pirt and Gary Hammond of The Hut People, whose instrumentation comprises accordion, zabumba and timbal drums, triangle, saxophone and clarinet.

Frankie and Pete have been serving up hot music from around the world for nearly 20 years with their influences ranging from Latin American to African, Caribbean to bluegrass, Eastern European and gipsy to Cuban.

Above all else, the music of Cuba has been their major inspiration: they studied with master musicians in Havana as well as rehearsing with bands over there.

Accordionist Sam Pirt, whose band 422 won a BBC Radio 2 folk award a few years ago, is well established in the folk world. He can regularly be found playing and running workshops in folk festivals throughout Britain.

For 12 years, percussionist Gary Hammond recorded and toured with The Beautiful South. He has also worked with the late Nina Simone and many other groups and set-ups within the world music and jazz/pop world.

Tickets are available at £12 for adults and £6 for under-16s from Ryedale Special Families on 01653 699000; the price includes a hot supper and a licensed bar will be in operation.

In addition, Forro Porro are inviting ticket holders and their children to take part in a free Latin American music workshop in Kirkbymoorside Memorial Hall earlier in the day from 3pm to 5pm. The Brazilian Dance Party has been organised by Ryedale Live!, whose founder, Rob Davies, has set himself the challenge of climbing Kilimanjaro in October to raise further funds for Ryedale Special Families.