Barbican Contemporary Podcast

Saturn-born cosmic jazz hero Sun Ra would have turned 100 this year. Listen to writer Brian Morton and Sonic Youth front man Thurston Moore sharing stories about him. Layering bowed strings and field recordings, British ‘sound artisan’ (The Wire) Richard Skelton creates raw and powerful compositions; while Syrian-Armenian musical trailblazer Lena Chamamyan shares her excitement ahead of her London concert.

'You can love a lot of different things that are not strictly one thing or another', says Bob Hurwitz, President of Nonesuch Records... Openness about music seems to be the strongest force at the heart of leading American record label, Nonesuch Records; while 'Do I love it? Have I heard it before?' seem to be the two simple, practical principles which, in the last 50 years, have stirred the label towards artists of the calibre of Steve Reich, Kronos Quartet, John Adams, Emmylou Harris, Jonny Greenwood and more.

Born out of the heat of Nigeria’s 1970s funk scene, William Onyeabor is the great synth pioneer who self-released eight nearly impossible-to-find albums between 1978 and 1985 in South-Eastern Nigeria, and then became a Born-Again Christian, refusing to ever speak about himself or his music again. More synths, but with piano this time, from Berlin-based pianist Nils Frahm.

No better way to start the year than with the grit and glamour of the sixties, captured in swinging cinematic grooves by Terry Edwards and his handpicked band in 'Blow the Bloody Doors off!' on 6 February - featuring live performances of music from Michael Caine's most iconic films, like Get Carter, The Ipcress File, Alfie and The Italian Job. London and its darkest stories set the scene for Marc Almond and John Harle's new album 'The Tyburn Tree'. Ben Eshmade talks to them to uncover all the secrets behind the album and get a sneak preview of the music.

Critic, music-lover and film-buff extraordinaire Mark Kermode highlights the soundtrack from his life in a very special concert on Saturday 6 July, with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Expect demons, dementors, apes and of course Mary Poppins…. Plus discover the Barbican's summer programme of events in east London - Beyond Barbican - with theatrical fiscal fantasy Bank On It and Mais Um! New Sounds of Brazil at Village Underground.

Folk musician Eliza Carthy looks back on her 21 year career, Israeli singer-songwriter Asaf Avidan unveils his plans to take London by storm with his mesmerizing voice. Plus Charlatans’ frontman Tim Burgess explains how his new album in collaboration with Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner was inspired by the Barbican.

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang introduces his new piece Death Speaks, and talks about the intimacy and confessional character that – like in Schubert’s music – can be found at indie gigs. Plus we hear from the voice of Death from Lang’s piece – singer and composer Shara Worden – and two groundbreaking American ensembles, Calder Quartet and So Percussion. Cameo appearances from Philip Glass and Steve Reich.

‘The missing link between contemporary music and general optimism about the future’, that’s how Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang describes 31 years old composer Nico Muhly. Muhly curates a weekend of new sonic pleasures on 10-12 May in London, titled A Scream and an Outrage. Discover all the hottest new composers and experience dazzling cross-genre collaborations, featuring Conor O’Brien, Philip Glass, Richard Reed Parry and much more.

The great Italian pianist and composer, Ludovico Einaudi chats to Ben Eshmade about his new album 'In a Time Lapse' and his upcoming five shows at the Barbican. Plus Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals introduces his new album and immersive gig 'Praxis Makes Perfect', under the band name Neon Neon, with LA producer Boom Bip and in association with National Theatre Wales; while David Harrington from Kronos Quartet tells us about their first collaboration with American creative pioneer Laurie Anderson.

Trance-inducing music from top British DJ James Holden, Yo La Tengo's new album Fade and the ambitious multimedia/anthropological roller coaster through Malaysia which is Super Everything*. Brace yourself for the February 2013 edition of the Barbican Contemporary Music podcast.

As a new year of music is about to begin, Ben Eshmade talks to Olafur Arnalds about his special concert with Britten Sinfonia on 11 March, Cowboy Junkies' vocalist Margo Timmins and journalist Andy Morgan about the current conflict in Northern Mali and what this means for Mali's people and its heritage.

Soul/r+ &b star Macy Gray introduces her new blues and soul-drenched project with the David Murray Big Band, whilst Neil Cowley talks about the collaboration between his trio and the Goldsmith (big) Strings. Plus Indian sitar star Anoushka Shankar on winning the "raga flamenco journey" in her latest album, Traveller.

Ben Eshmade (@poplarpenguin) chats with Rasmus Stolberg from Efterklang about their new album on 4AD, Piramida and their expedition to the Arctic Circle; plus American pop pioneers Sparks and contemporary composer Max Richter on his latest project, Vivaldi's The Four seasons re-imagined for Deutsche Grammophon.

Sonic Youth’s singer and guitarist Thurston Moore and writer Brian Morton unveil the truth about Sun Ra (he was from Saturn, not Alabama), whilst filmmakers Marsha Emerman and Majid Shokor introduce their documentary about the music of the Iraqi Diaspora and its Jewish roots. Plus Oneohtrix Point Never and Nate Boyce about their multimedia performance, Reliquary House.

For this rare interview, the great American composer chats to Ben Eshmade in a London cab, ahead of the celebrations for his 75th birthday at the Barbican Centre in London. Featuring plenty of Philip Glass’s music and insights into his work, his legendary collaborations, his beginnings, the “music world” and the “music business” and some Schoenberg records which took five years to sell in his father’s record store…