Johnny Depp

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Johnny Depp

Profession: Actor
Place/Date of Birth: Owensboro, Kentucky,USA, 09 June 2020

Johnny Depp’s Hackney night out - 29/01/02

Johnny Depp jetted in to Hackney to present his favourite band with an award at Radio 3’s inaugural World Music Awards last night. The hunky actor, soon to be seen terrorizing the East End as Jack the Ripper in From Hell, flew in from his Paris home to give the award to a virtually unknown Romanian outfit who usually perform at weddings and funerals.

He was first introduced to the musicians Taraf de Haidouks (Band of Outlaws) two years ago when they were cast as his gipsy family in The Man Who Couldn’t Cry, by British film-maker Sally Potter. He loved the band so much, he flew them in to perform at his exclusive club The Viper Room, to mark the launch of his film Sleepy Hollow.

Last night at Ocean he described them as "the greatest musicians I know" and danced with his girlfriend Vanessa Paradis, as the group performed at the after-show party. "These guys can play a music which expresses the most intense joy," said Depp. The band, whose members range in age from mid-20s to late-70s, remain almost unknown in Romania because of their gipsy blood. But, said Depp: "They have this gift to make you feel alive.

They are among the most extraordinary people I’ve ever met." Also giving out awards the show were, Gorillaz star Damon Albarn, ex-Clash member Joe Strummer and electronic music pioneer Brian Eno. Albarn presented an award to double-bass player Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez, of the Buena Vista Social Club, the Cuban musicians’ collective.

Senegalese star Baaba Maal won the critics’ award for album of the year and other winners included Anglo-Indian composer Nitin Sawhney, London-born Susheela Raman, veteran Mali musician Djelimady Toukara and Afro-Celt Sound System.

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