3 Comments
User's avatar
Sun Hesper Jansen's avatar

(edited from original and time-sensitive but with mercury retrograde it's all up to chance)

"There are some truths about me that I have to radically accept instead of experience the friction of forcing it to change" is a phrase I'm going to credit you for when I use it. Part of my self care has been to keep my horizons beyond the US airwaves, so I've recently been ridiculously devastated by BBC Radio's decision to block their archives from people outside the UK (very much a First World Problem, doubly so considering this is the Beeb we're talking about). I listen (and donate) to public and local radio, but hearing episodes of the BBC3 show "Night Tracks" (running from 4-6pm our time) has become a broader lifeline for me. (A wider question is what it is about our local stations that struggles to compete with the reach of those playlists; how can a progressive jazz label based in Chicago get more airplay on BBC than here in Madison? Note to self: can I help with this in any spoons-economical way? Probably!)

Fortunately, we can still listen to any show at the time that it's airing, which is in truth so much more marvelous. So. If you get this in time, they are airing, on Tuesday 7/29 at 1:30pm CST, a landmark concert of Arooj Aftab and trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. I take these things as gifts when the synchronicity clicks; who knows if I'll be able to hear it either. But if you are in the right place at the right time, I'll be there too: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live/bbc_radio_three

Expand full comment
alej peko's avatar

I am so bummed that I saw this just now and didn't get to listen to Arooj! I even had a bit of time at 1:30. I hope it was gorgeous. Did you get to listen???

I need some connection outside of US news sources. Taking recommendations. The world is heavy, but we continue.

Expand full comment
Sun Hesper Jansen's avatar

Yes we do. And I'm sorry you missed the Arooj performance! I've never been more impressed with her voice or her as a person. She has this dry sense of humor and I'd love the chance to see her live even without a symphony orchestra. (Also, it turned out that she and Ibrahim played separate concerts, so it was all her in her glory for a solid hour, and she brought out "Mohabbat" for her encore. The crowd was insane for her.) Also, her musical knowledge and the people she's connected with blow me away. I mean, michael haldeman on guitar?! I can only hope she has him on a future album. OK I'm done gushing. Later I went out and got my head exploded at the Glass Beams show so I could go on about that too. It takes a special band to make me flare up my symptoms on purpose, but 100% worth it. If I encounter any better sources than BBC for news I'll pass them along, but they definitely can't be beat for music!

Expand full comment