Sat 1 Feb - Cihan Dumlupinar and Canay Cengen - TURKISH MUSIC

Canay Cengen and Cihan Dumlupinar speak about Turkish music, being musicians from Kadikoy living long term in London, about the music scene in Istanbul and their experience of the political situation in Turkey.  They share their thoughts on the cultural differences between being musicians in in the UK and Turkey and also play live in their own melodious and fluid guitar style.

Listen Again - Canay Cengen and Cihan Dumlupinar - Turkish/Kurdish Musics

Sat 25 Jan - ESTONIA & THE ARTS - Triinu Soikmets

Narrative artist and curator Triinu Soikmets from Estonia is in London for the Baltica! Exhibition (Bermondsey). She shares her unique approach to story/poetry and photography and discusses the work of Estonian artists then and now, including Jüri Arrak known for his distinctive style and his collaboration with Rein Raamat on the giant of Saaremaa, Tõll the Great. Thoughts on Baltic mythology, magic and landscape, with extracts from Latvian & Estonian poetry and East European grooves.

Listen Again - Triinu Soikmets - Baltica! - Sat 25 Jan 

Sat 18 Jan - David Wright - A HARPSICHORD PLAYER FROM BETHNAL GREEN

Harpsichord soloist and continuo player David Wright talks about the history of this compelling instrument and baroque opera, how he learned to play the keyboard by ear and stories of composers and performers on the streets of London. He comes from Bethnal Green and directed the first modern performance of Thomas Arne's ballad opera The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green. He tours worldwide with the London Concertante. Percussive strings, wild expressive musicianship and intimate insights from the most persuasive performer of early music. Featuring live harpsichord.


Listen Again - David Wright - Harpsichord - 18 Jan 2020

Sat 11 Jan - PLAYING GAY ON BRITISH TV - Stephen Bourne

Social historian and media writer Stephen Bourne presents his book 'Playing Gay in the Golden Age of British TV' and looks at issues of sexual identity as part of television viewing through the changing cultural decades. Armchair favourites, soaps and comedies such as 'Dad's Army', 'Crossroads','Doctor Who' and 'Steptoe and Son' are discussedalongside deliberately groundbreaking productions including 'Rock Follies' and 'Play for Today'.Listen Again - Stephen Bourne - PLAYING GAY ON BRITISH TV

Sat 14 Dec - ERNEST HEMINGWAY - with Cristen Hemingway Jaynes

Cristen Hemingway Jaynes on her new book 'Ernest's Way' about her great-grandfather's travels. An audio adventure with Ernest Hemingway, travelling from Paris to Havana with musical interludes and a few of bottles of his favourite Rioja.

Listen Again - ERNEST HEMINGWAY - Cristen Hemingway Jaynes

Sat 7 Dec - Punk Biologist LUCY ECKERSLEY

Punk biologist Lucy Eckersley talks wildlife and shares her passion for animals with cool incisive wit and sound knowledge of a professional science communicator. Stories from the empirical savannah of zoology, gathering data and tiger poo. As Lucy and Jude both hail from North Manchester there will be autobiographical reminiscences and musical inserts.

Sat 7 Dec - Punk biologist LUCY ECKERSLEY

Sat 30 Nov - RUSSIAN FOLK music and nihilist poetry

Experiments in news and arts with Jude Cowan Montague. This week: Russian music and nihilist poetry. Adventures through Russian folk sounds including fantasy re-imaginings of old culture contrasted with the brutalist humour of nihilist poetry that has a cult popularity. For more information see thenewsagents.blogspot.co.uk.

Listen Again - RUSSIAN FOLK MUSIC and nihilist poetry - with Riitta Hakkarainen