Sat 7 Mar - The Wolf of Baghdad - CAROL ISAACS

The Wolf of Baghdad. Carol Isaacs on stories of the lost Jewish population of Iraq. Carol's graphic memoir of lost homeland (on Myriad Press) is a wordless narrative illuminated by family portraits and testimonies, which comes to life panel by panel as a motion comic with its own musical soundtrack. Music transports her avatar to the old Jewish quarter of Baghdad, which she explores, accompanied by the wolf, a talismanic animal believed to protect from demons but who is unable to prevent devastation from befalling the community.

Listen Again - THE WOLF OF BAGHDAD - Carol Isaacs - Sat 7 Mar

Sat 15 Feb - SUMI PERERA - Printmaking and Contemporary Culture

Sumi Perera RE, acclaimed international artist, on the intellectual imagination, how this can be expressed in printmaking and related arts. Perera discusses some of the methods of traditional and contemporary printmaking and how its intriguing processes can be used to make important commentary on society and about the materials we use to construct our environment. With unusual selections of rock music from the Simon King Collection.

Sat 8 Feb - CHRIS ROBERTS author & Simon King Collection - African, Soul & Black Musics

Peeling through Simon King's record collection to uncover some of the African, soul and perhaps less-expected black musics that were stored in his garage or which may have made it onto the turntable for radio or gig. A voyage of discovery in vinyl. Plus Chris Roberts, author, on grief counselling and his new book, 'Bus Journeys in South London'.

Listen Again - Simon King Collection soul music - Chris Roberts author grief counselling - Sat 8 Feb

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