After classical music studies at the University of Indiana, cellist and composer Eric Longsworth went on to perform with several orchestras in Houston, Texas. Partial to jazz and keen to explore different musical avenues, the American honed his skills in Banff, Alberta, where he developed a taste for improvisation through creative workshops with musicians like Dave Holland. In the early 1990s, Longsworth moved to Montreal, where he played with bands Icarus and Contrevent. His first solo effort, I Hear You, came out in 1997. Five years later, the musician migrated to France and pursued several projects and collaborations with a host of musicians, including cora player Chérif Soumano and percussionist Jean-Luc Di Fraya, with whom he formed Word Kora Trio in 2011.