A quick glance around the schedules

**Globaltruth** · 26-08-20, 12:40

Originally posted by Globaltruth View Post

This is an absolute must watch

BBC Four - African Renaissance: When Art Meets Power, Series 1, Ethiopia

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000lwf2/african-renaissance-when-art-meets-power-series-1-1-ethiopia

Afua Hirsch traces Ethiopia's 3,000-year history through its art and culture.

Afua Hirsch is an excellent and accomplished broadcaster with a relaxed style.
Included stunning images from Aida Muluneh :

and, of course, a fair slice of music, from the Sacred Harp of David, aka the begenna:

The Sacred Names Of The Begenna

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uooHvUrfqZc

Provided to YouTube by The Orchard EnterprisesThe Sacred Names Of The Begenna · Alemu AgaThe Begenna of Elders℗ 2009 Laika-RecordsReleased on: 2009-09-11Auto...

The Rastafari community of Shashamane was news to me. A gift of land from Haile Selassie.
It was also possible to draw clear parallels between the behaviors of the Shah of Iran and Haile Selassie from their inauguration onwards - sweems to me that autocracy rarely brings out the best in people

Senegal on Monday - BBC4 at 21.00

Senegal episode now available.

Features Diabel Cissokho.
If you cant find the time to watch, here he is...

Rhythm of the Griot, by Diabel Cissokho

https://diabelcissokho.bandcamp.com/album/rhythm-of-the-griot

11 track album

**Globaltruth** · 05-09-20, 08:35

Originally posted by Globaltruth View Post

Senegal episode now available.

Features Diabel Cissokho.
If you cant find the time to watch, here he is...

https://diabelcissokho.bandcamp.com/...m-of-the-griot

3rd episode, Kenya, is now available

BBC Four - African Renaissance: When Art Meets Power

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m000lwf5/african-renaissance-when-art-meets-power

Afua Hirsch explores Ethiopia, Senegal and Kenya through their art, music and culture.

Equally good are these three 30 min episodes:

BBC Four - Handmade in Africa

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m000lwdv/handmade-in-africa

The meaning of tradition, craftsmanship and artistic process in three African cultures.

At one time I'm sure r3 would have done an accompanying programme or series....I can imagine both AK and/or Dr Lucy champing at the bit to do so...

**johncorrigan** · 17-09-20, 10:51

On Radio 4 this morning a programme celebrating the 50th anniversary of 'Songs of the Humpback Whale'...always remember it from Judy Collins' version of 'Farewell to Tarawathie', which I love to this day...what great sound.

BBC Radio 4 - Songs of the Humpback Whale

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mk2j

The story of Roger Payne’s best-selling environmental album, released 50 years ago.

**cloughie** · 17-09-20, 11:03

Originally posted by johncorrigan View Post

On Radio 4 this morning a programme celebrating the 50th anniversary of 'Songs of the Humpback Whale'...always remember it from Judy Collins' version of 'Farewell to Tarawathie', which I love to this day...what great sound.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mk2j

...and what a voice!

**Globaltruth** · 17-09-20, 16:59

Originally posted by johncorrigan View Post

On Radio 4 this morning a programme celebrating the 50th anniversary of 'Songs of the Humpback Whale'...always remember it from Judy Collins' version of 'Farewell to Tarawathie', which I love to this day...what great sound.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mk2j

indeed...

Humpback whale song from Monterey Bay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tRMqbPH_pk

As you listen, you can see the spectrogram of a beautiful humpback whale song from deep in the Monterey Bay. These sounds were recorded on an underwater micr...

**Globaltruth** · 30-09-20, 15:03

the NPR Tiny Desk concerts are still going, but being performed from home.
Here is a very calming song from The Good Ones... very good flask work.

The Good Ones: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0luknWYSQNA

The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the c...

**johncorrigan** · 20-11-20, 20:42

On BBC2 tomorrow evening, Arena programme, 'Fela Kuti: Father of Afrobeat' at 21.30.

BBC Four - Arena, Fela Kuti: Father of Afrobeat

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000pr2n

The story of Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, who created a sound for a continent - Afrobeat.

**DracoM** · 20-11-20, 21:36

**Globaltruth** · 21-11-20, 15:36

A rerun today from March of "Inside Music with Nancy Kerr" during which she featured the wonderful Taraf de Haïdouks playing Bartok.
In case you missed it:

Taraf de Haïdouks - "Romanian Folk Dances"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxHhSy36Klo

Live recording from the "Maskarada" sessions. Bartok drew his inspiration from Balkan folk music to compose this famous piece in 1915. Taraf de Haïdouks have...

Their version of Dido's Lament sung by Iva Bittova gets me every time though:

Dido's Lament (Voice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4kcBePQznQ

Provided to YouTube by Sony ClassicalDido's Lament (Voice) · Iva Bittova · Taraf de Haidouks · Henry PurcellThe Man Who Cried - Original Motion Picture Sound...

(there was some Turlough O'Carolan in there too)

**Globaltruth** · 03-12-20, 12:43

Originally posted by johncorrigan View Post

On BBC2 tomorrow evening, Arena programme, 'Fela Kuti: Father of Afrobeat' at 21.30.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000pr2n

Just got round to watching this - particularly enjoyed the interviews with Femi, Yeni, Seun, and Tony Allen.
The programme gave a rounded view of the talented, uncompromising and inspirational man of extremes that he was.
The story of the development of his musical style was well told - especially during his time in Los Angeles where he met Black Panther and political activist Sandra Izsadore, whose beauty, energy and ideology were key factors in what would become Fela’s Afrobeat revolution.
Still amazed that his blatant confrontation with vicious authorities lasted as long as it did.

Home - Fela Kuti

https://www.felakuti.com/

Fela Anikulapo-Kuti is widely credited as the creator of Afrobeat in the early 1970's, which rapidly became the most avidly followed style across West Africa. Afrobeat’s revolutionary politics bro...

**zola** · 10-12-20, 14:17

The Forum on World Service was about Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum.

The Forum - Umm Kulthum: Egypt’s singing superstar - BBC Sounds

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3cszjwg

Exploring the life of a woman whose voice still captivates people across the Middle East

**johncorrigan** · 11-12-20, 11:00

Originally posted by zola View Post

The Forum on World Service was about Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3cszjwg

Thanks, zola. Very interesting, though Bridget Kendall seemed to be having a wee bit pronunciation issues - I love that idea that an audience could bring a song to a stop and persuade Umm to go do that favourite bit again - two hours for Umm to do a twenty minute song was one of the experiences quoted. I got a sense of a real icon from this programme.

**johncorrigan** · 13-12-20, 15:22

Last night I chanced on 'A Life in Song' on BBC Radio 4. In it, Sean Cooney of the Young'Uns spoke about writing songs based on real life situations including Richard Moore's story who was blinded by a rubber bullet in Derry, and also Mark Moogalion who survived a terrorist train attack (in Belgium, I think). He also talks to Karine Polwart about her writing a song about Susan Maxwell who disappeared on the way home from school and she discloses some the responsibilities she felt on writing such a song brings. I thought this was really interesting.

BBC Radio 4 - Art of Now, A Life in Song

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mcgy

Singer-songwriter Sean Cooney explores the art of writing songs about real people.