African Music Celebration Weekend 17-19 Jan

[Guest]

This sounds like something to look forward to! Has 6 Music done anything like this before? I know it will have its limitations, but surely parts of it will be worth a listen? Even if it does prove disappointing, it's better than nothing. I suppose the "Friends of Radio 6 Music", if they're anything like the "Friends of Radio 3", will be loudly moaning of the absence of their habitual 80s shoegazing, etc. for a whole weekend ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2014/6-music-celebrates-african-music.html

EDIT - Whoops! My thread head extends the weekend by two days.

[french frank]

Thread title corrected.

[johncorrigan]

This sounds like something to look forward to! Has 6 Music done anything like this before? I know it will have its limitations, but surely parts of it will be worth a listen? Even if it does prove disappointing, it's better than nothing. I suppose the "Friends of Radio 6 Music", if they're anything like the "Friends of Radio 3", will be loudly moaning of the absence of their habitual 80s shoegazing, etc. for a whole weekend ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2014/6-music-celebrates-african-music.html

EDIT - Whoops! My thread head extends the weekend by two days.

Thanks for that, HG - some interesting things in there - I mean 6 Music does play some World music fairly regularly; right enough, only occasionally daytime. But Gideon plays regularly, for example...and they've got Rita Ray on too, and Rokia too. Tom Robinson's programme on Sunday evening was pretty good when he compiled a list of folk music...so perhaps listeners will come up with a few suggestions - I've probably got a few myself.

Like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8PZImiMpgo

[Globaltruth]

... "Friends of Radio 3", will be loudly moaning of the absence of their habitual 80s shoegazing, etc. for a whole weekend ...

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Dear Honoured Guest, do elucidate further

[Honoured Guest]

All I meant was that this celebratory weekend will replace regular programming, or at least shift the balance of content, for one exceptional weekend. Whenever that happens on Radio 3, e.g. when the live Barbican L'enfance du Christ and the annual EBU Day of Christmas Music recently replaced two editions of The Early Music Show, the reaction on this board seems to be a ready lunge to complain about the end of civilisation as we know it, etc.

[johncorrigan]

All I meant was that this celebratory weekend will replace regular programming, or at least shift the balance of content, for one exceptional weekend. Whenever that happens on Radio 3, e.g. when the live Barbican L'enfance du Christ and the annual EBU Day of Christmas Music recently replaced two editions of The Early Music Show, the reaction on this board seems to be a ready lunge to complain about the end of civilisation as we know it, etc.

It would have been a gas if R3 had decided to play some African music for the weekend, Hon G - African Jazz, Desert Blues, Ethiopian religious tunes, South African Gospel Choirs, Rokia Traore's Private Passions, Words and Music Africa style - a nice change in the schedules that would be, but I suppose we'll just have to take a bit of the R6 approach.

[french frank]

Dear Honoured Guest, do elucidate further

I think our Honoured Guest is trying a little too hard to express his disapproval of 'this board' (who are they?). Indeed, he expressed his pleasure that the Christmas Day round Europe received a welcome (rather than the numerous 'common gripes'). However, his examples didn't show a very detailed knowledge of Radio 3's schedule changes.

If he were to substitute for the Early Music Show either Jazz Record Requests or World Routes, people who particularly value those programmes might well 'gripe' if they're dropped. But clearly they won't get much sympathy from the opposing faction which is not at all bothered if programmes they don't listen to get the chop.

However, if 6 Music were to have a three-week season of African Music, filling the bulk of every 24-hour day for those three weeks, I think the Friends' griping might be considered justified by some ...

[Honoured Guest]

I'd distinguish between programmes getting the chop and those just skipping a week or two for occasional alternative broadcasting. Also, if people are truly "not at all bothered if programmes they don't listen to get the chop", that could explain why their views are dismissed when they complain that their personally favoured output is varied or reduced. I hope for a balance of programming over a period of time, and don't expect a national radio station to superserve my own personal tastes at all the times when I most wish to listen.

[french frank]

I hope for a balance of programming over a period of time, and don't expect a national radio station to superserve my own personal tastes at all the times when I most wish to listen.

That's fair enough, and I think most people would, in general, agree. But it doesn't necessarily prevent a movement of annoyance when a regular programme that one enjoys is dropped every once in a while (especially if people feel they don't get much of a look-in most of the time). There aren't many outlets for giving one's views on BBC programmes!

[Globaltruth]

Yeah, a lot of the board is about opinion & personal taste, live it or live with it as they used to say in the 80's...

Shame that this thread, which basically informs us of A Good Thing (few minutes to think about the people of Mali anyone? CAR?) is used for some kind of unconstructive point scoring.

Off to 6 music I go-

[johncorrigan]

Switched on this morning to a Salif Keita session track and thought that's the way to start a Saturday, then the 6 music Africa spesh returned to the usual indie stuff...I think what they mean is they throw in a track or two along the way. There is a Mali special tomorrow.

[johncorrigan]

Gideon Coe with Rita Ray this afternoon - if the first few tunes are anything to go by I'm in for 3 hours of fine entertainment.often

Excellent Saturday afternoon entertainment - they ought to do it more often.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03q8r56

[Globaltruth]

This was the programme dedicated to Mali Music:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03q8sy7