Episodes
| Title | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| AfroCubism | 20101127 | AfroCubism: the legendary 'lost' project that became the Buena Vista Social Club is finally realised. In this concert from the London Jazz Festival, musicians from Mali and Cuba come together for the collaboration that was the original Buena Vista idea. Introduced from The Barbican by Lucy Duran. It was in 1996 that record producer Nick Gold planned a project involving veteran Cuban musicians with virtuoso performers from Mali, to be recorded in Havana. In the end, because of passport problems, the Malian musicians were unable to come, so the recording went ahead with just the Cubans - resulting in the classic Buena Vista Social Club album. Now Nick Gold has finally realised the original project for a new recording and concert tour. The musicians include Cuban singer Eliades Ochoa, one of the Buena Vista veterans, together with Malians Toumani Diabate on kora, Bassekou Kouyate on ngoni, and Djelimady Tounkara playing guitar, all now 14 years older, but still top performers. This London Jazz Festival concert was recorded at The Barbican on 21st November. Lucy Duran presents a concert by musicians from Mali and Cuba. Programme exploring music from around the world |
| Hugh Masekela, The Mahotella Queens | 20101120 | A London Jazz Festival concert featuring some of South Africa's biggest stars. Hugh Masekela has been a master of South African jazz since the 1960s, becoming an international celebrity with his hit 'Grazin' in the Grass'. The Mahotella Queens are of a similar vintage, and can still excite audiences with their high-energy township dance music. This concert was recorded on the opening night of the 2010 London Jazz Festival. Hugh Masekela learned the trumpet at the age of 14, and by the end of the 1950s was recognised as a top player. In 1960 following the Sharpeville massacre, he left South Africa and settled for a while in the USA. After his 1987 song 'Bring him back home' came true with the release of Nelson Mandela, he returned to South Africa. Now 71, he is still recording and still touring the world. The Mahotella Queens are young in comparison, forming in 1964. They had a string of hits with the 'King of the groaners' Simon Mahlatini Nkabinde, combining the energy of township 'mbaqanga' music with tight vocal harmonies. The current band members - Hilda, Nobesuthu and Midred - were all in the original 1964 line-up. A 2010 London Jazz Festival concert by Hugh Masekela and the Mahotella Queens. Programme exploring music from around the world |