THE band played on in tribute to a violinist who was stabbed to death in the street.

Musician friends of Michael Kahan took to the stage for a festival performance he had arranged before his killing.

Michael, 39, died after being attacked in Middleton Road, Crumpsall, last Sunday.

Ros Hawley, his musical partner in their band Klezmer Gourmets, stepped on stage in his memory at the Feast Festival in Platt Fields Park, Rusholme.

She was joined on stage by her husband Mark Fisher and other musicians as a tribute to her friend.

Ros said: "He was a lovely man, he would not have hurt anyone. He did not have a harmful bone in his body and was a great musician."

Expert

Father-of-three Michael, of Clere Road, Crumpsall, was an expert in a type of Jewish music known as klezmer.

He had trained at the Royal Northern College of Music and in recent years had performed with clarinettist Ros at venues throughout the country.

Michael had been due to play at the festival, organised by Manchester International Arts, with the Klezmer Gourmets. Ros and friends decided to play on in his memory.

Michael's wife Eva went to find him after he failed to return from a trip to a nearby baker's shop and came across the police cordon around his body.

She said: "Michael was a very kind, gentle and gifted man - he was just going to buy breakfast but he never came home."

Tributes from around the world have been posted on the internet - with musicians from as far away as America offering condolences.

Jonathan Mills, 31, of Dawlish Avenue, Chadderton, has been charged with murder.