The Matthew Herbert Big Band headlined a sold-out concert at the Barbican Centre in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the British Council on Monday 26 October 2009.

The first half of the evening featured three unique international collaborations:

• Justin Adams, bass player and musical facilitator of the British Council’s recent Music Matbakh project (also of Robert Plant’s band, and collaborator with Tiniwaren) with Gambian musician Juldeh Camara, violinist Mohamed Medhat, singer Amy Sacko and special guest Bassekou Kouyate
• Scottish singer Karine Polwart, who combines folk storytelling with wry commentary, performed with Palestinian vocalist Kamilya Jubran
• Guillemots and Music From the Penguin Cafe, who performed new versions of each other's music, as well as a new collaborative work.

The second half of the evening featured the show-stopping Matthew Herbert Big Band alongside frequent collaborator Eska Mtungwazi, and The Goldsmiths Vocal Ensemble in a performance specially created for the British Council's celebrations.

Watch a short video of the Resound event including clips of all artists' performances

Watch Eska and The Goldsmiths Vocal Ensemble in rehearsal and listen to Matthew Herbert discuss his work with the British Council

A unique figure in modern music, Matthew Herbert is recognised as one of the most creative producers, combining pop with a passion for experimentalism that has seen him use sounds as diverse as breaking glass, rustling crisp packets, and newspapers being ripped up - and for his upcoming album, the sounds of his pet pig being born - to create the explorative work he is renowned for. As well as creating his own music, Herbert has also produced and remixed artists as diverse as Björk, REM, John Cale, Roisin Murphy, Yoko Ono and Serge Gainsbourg.

During rehearsals, he said of the British Council’s 75th anniversary concert: ‘The Big Band is instant and accessible because it is music at its most raw. It’s going to be an exuberant occasion which will leave me a challenge for my unexpected noises.’

The British Council’s Music Department is renowned for its work with musicians from the UK and overseas. Cathy Graham, Head of Music, said: 'This is a rare opportunity for us to share with UK audiences the diversity of the work the British Council engages in, and the story of the power of music to communicate and inspire across boundaries. In marking the 75th birthday year of the British Council, we would like to thank the artists from around the globe with whom we have worked for the last 75 years and commit with renewed energy to the next 75.'

The event was produced by Serious.