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Marian Keyes, The Songhoy Blues, Sarah Jane Morris

On writing to cope with depression and the Malian musicians defying militants.

We hear from the internationally bestselling author Marian Keyes about how she started writing and copes with depression. Legendary actor Al Pacino shares some performance nightmares. We discover how Mozart tore opera down from its pedestal. Was author Ben Okri right to say a mental tyranny is keeping black writers from greatness? Nigerian author Chikodili Emelumadu gives her opinion. We hear the extraordinary story of Abner Jay who claimed to be the last working Southern black minstrel. Singer Sarah Jane Morris performs a chilling track about Honour Killings from her new album. Dance hall star Chi Ching Ching explains why music comes second to dance in Jamaican culture. And we visit the Celtic Connections Festival to hear from The Songhoy Blues – the Malian musicians who formed a band in defiance of the Islamist militants.

(Photo: Marian Keyes (c) Ian Philpott, Aliou Toure from Songhoy Blues (c) Damien Meyer, Sarah Jane Morris (c) Nicholas Gionotti)

50 minutes

Last on

Mon 2 Feb 2015 09:05GMT

Music Played

  • Chi Ching Ching

    Way Up n Stay Up

  • The Songhoy Blues

    Sourbour

  • Ali Farka Touré

    The River

  • Fela Kuti

    Lagos Night

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Allegro from Symphony No. 29 In A major

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Per Pieta

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Sel vuol ballare, signor Contino from Le Nozze di Figaro

  • The Dhol Foundation

    After the Rain

  • Abner Jay

    My Mule

  • Yellowman

    Zungguzungguguzungguzeng

  • Carlo Savina

    Love theme from The Godfather

  • The Communards

    Don't Leave Me This Way (feat. Sarah Jane Morris)

  • Sarah Jane Morris

    No Beyonce

Broadcasts

  • Sat 31 Jan 2015 12:05GMT
  • Mon 2 Feb 2015 09:05GMT