Recording of the week: Women in the wine trade

This week’s selection comes from Camille Johnston, Oral History Assistant Archivist. At the start of her career Helen Thomson (b. 1933) received some sound advice from a fellow ‘woman in the wine trade’. The wine world was dominated by men, and Thomson could name only two women among her peers:…

Recording of the week: Makame Faki, legendary singer from Zanzibar

This week’s selection comes from Dr Janet Topp Fargion, Lead Curator of World and Traditional Music. Zanzibari musician, Makame Faki, affectionately known by the nickname ‘Sauti ya zege’ (‘Voice of gravel’), passed away aged 77 on 18 January 2020. He was known for his exuberance, always with a big smile…

Sounds of your world

During this time where we’re cooped up at home, we’ll all be missing something. The big things go without saying. Family, friends, loved ones. But what are the small comforts that you’re finding yourself longing for? Your commute. The bustling school gates. The triumphant thumbs-up when you find a free…

Recording of the week: Frank Bowling on learning to draw

This week’s selection comes from Camille Johnston, Oral History Assistant Archivist. Darwin Building, Royal College of Art in the City of Westminster, London, U.K. Chmee2 / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) Frank Bowling won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art, where he enrolled to study painting in 1959. In this…

Recording of the week: ‘I didn’t come into the jungle to look at trees and lianas!’

This week’s selection comes from Andrea Zarza Canova, Curator of World & Traditional Music. Cover of ‘Healing, Feasting and Magical Ritual. Songs & Dances from Papua New Guinea’ (TSCD918) Former senior producer for BBC Radio 3 John Thornley made this field recording in 1987, in Kei Village, near Mount Hagen,…