Barbican Contemporary Music

Roots Manuva, Mulatu Astatke, Brazil's singer-songwriter Baia, DJ Joao Brasil and Mais Um Gringo from Mais Um Records introduce this weekend's festival For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Goran Bregovic on 16th century France and wartorn Sarajevo, plus Van Dyke Parks and Rokia Traore in an exclusive interview from Mali For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

A special podcast dedicated to Big Star Third in London on May 28th 2012. A fully-orchestrated performance of Big Star's legendary album Sister Lovers and other gems from the band’s timeless catalogue, featuring Mitch Easter, Jody Stephens, Chris Stamey, Ken Stringfellow and special guests Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Alexis Taylor (Hot Chip), Jon Auer (The Posies), Brendan Benson (The Raconteurs), Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub), John Bramwell (I Am Kloot), Ira Kaplan (Yo La Tengo), Sondre Lerche, Sharon Van Etten For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Juan de Marcos, the man who brought together the artists who became Buena Vista Social Club, talks to Ben Eshmade about his Barbican concert with the Afro-Cuba All-Stars on 25 April, and the past and future of Cuban music. Then we jump genres, into a new musical zone where post-classical, electronica and song meet, with FatCat Records and Dustin O’Halloran; plus a touch of world-class classical music, with the new Barbican Associate Orchestra, the Britten Sinfonia. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

British minimalist composer Gavin Bryars and sound artist Philip Jeck introduce The Sinking of the Titanic, an extraordinarily immersive video and music experience on the 100th anniversary of the RMS Titanic disaster - April 15th 2012. Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang talks about Bang on a Can's 25th anniversary concert, titled Field Recordings, and how found sounds and video bites inspired the artists involved to come up with this unusual musical project. English poet and rapper Akala and producer Paul Gladstone Reid chat to Ben Eshmade about what their Hip Hop Shakespeare Company have in store for the Barbican Weekender on 3rd & 4th March. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

This month we meet with Aaron Dessner – founding member of acclaimed rock band The National - to chat about his multimedia project, The Long Count. Plus a special live session with renowned English eccentric Robyn Hitchcock, introducing The Floating Palace on Wed 8 Feb (also featuring KT Tunstall, Eliza & Martin Carthy, Howe Gelb and Krystle Warren), and critically-acclaimed composer Michael Gordon on his 9/11-inspired piece The Sad Park and the upcoming Kronos Quartet residency from Sat 21 Jan. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

What happens when Mouse on Mars’ music is played by real humans? Jan St Werner from Mouse on Mars chats about their new orchestral piece which is having its UK premiere at the Barbican on 25 November. Counter-cultural visionary Iain Sinclair shares his critical views on the management of the Olympics in East London. Texan singer-songwriter Josh T Pearson talks about the success of his debut album Last of the Country Gentlemen; whilst The Leisure Society introduce their exciting collaboration with the Heritage Orchestra at the Barbican in December (and they are excited!) For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

We travelled to Angel in London to meet David Hepworth – the man responsible for editing, launching or directing magazines such as Smash Hits, Q, Mojo and Word magazine – to talk about the transformation of music media since the 1970s. Plus Neil Brand gives us a sneak preview of his new score for the silent classic Underground, and guitarist and producer Justin Adams (Tinariwen, Robert Plant, Sinead O’Connor) talks about his new desert rock project with Juldeh Camara – JuJu. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Mira Calix on Brainwaves (Fri 22 Jul, Wilton's Music Hall) and Zakaria Ibrahim from El Tanbura about the Egyptian uprising, the Suez crisis and much more For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

UK rapper Mikill Pane talks about East London, making new music and the spectacular urban music showcase headlined by Kano on Thu 7 Jul, Re:Definition 2011. Plus Belgian/Congolese hip-hop sensation Baloji, performing at Rich Mix Arts Centre on Mon 18 Jul in a double bill with gorgeous Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Featuring Canadian electro-pop pioneer, singer-songwriter and producer Chilly Gonzales and Rene Perez Joglar aka Residente from Latin music powerhouse Calle 13. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Felix Buxton from Basement Jaxx talks about their collaboration with the Metropole Orkest on 14 & 15 Jul 2011 in the Barbican Hall, whilst Nozinja aka 'Dog' tells us a bit more about the 180bpm street dance phenomenon from South Africa which is about to strike Europe this summer, Shangaan Electro. This podcast also features music from La Notte della Taranta Orchestra, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and Afrobeat legend Ebo Taylor. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

'One of a handful of living composers who can legitimately claim to have altered the direction of musical history' (The Guardian), Steve Reich has been an influence for generations of musicians since the 1970s, and up to today's musical landscape - where the boundaries between rock and classical seem to have disappeared progressively. The Barbican celebrates this influence with six unique concerts on Sat 7 & Sun 8 May in London, featuring groundbreaking collaborations, four Reich premieres and new music. Visit http://www.barbican.org.uk/reverberations for more info and to book tickets. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Soothing singer-songwriter Jose Gonzalez on Chemistry, his influences and Heartbeats. Plus Canadian songsmith, Ron Sexsmith talks about the acclaimed documentary Love Shines and his collaboration with producer Bob Rock; and Barcelona's Ojos de Brujo preparing their best show for their 10th anniversary concert in London - which might also be their last... For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

The new sounds of Buenos Aires, soul-snapping retro grooves from Nigeria and hard-hitting political reggae infused with African instruments. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Meet eleven-time DownBeat Male Vocalist of the Year and Grammy Award winner, Kurt Elling, as we approach his imminent Barbican appearance with Richard Galliano and the Scottish Natinal Jazz Orchestra on Mon 14 Mar. Van Der Graaf Generator founding member Peter Hammill talks about the origins of the 'coolest, strangest band in prog' (Uncut) and the new material part of their second album as a trio, A Grounding in Numbers. Plus Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan stars in the Motown hits-packed musical The Sapphires, coming to the Barbican Theatre from 2 - 12 Mar. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Patterson Hood from alt-country band Drive-By Truckers introduces the documentary about the band and their deep American South, The Secret To A Happy Ending. Joan Wasser reveals the reason behind her music persona's peculiar name, Joan as Police Woman, and talks about her fantastic collaborations and New York. Plus, Brinsley Forde from legendary reggae group Aswad introduces Reggae Britannia and tells us about making reggae music in the UK in the 1970s. And last but not least, Gabby Young on her circus-swing, her training as an Opera singer and a live acoustic performance of 'Male version of Me'! For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

NME Album of the Year 2010 winners These New Puritans feature in our recap of the year 2010 in podcasts. From legendary revolutionary artist Emory Douglas and his Black Panthers, to the charismatic Kid Creole, plus Scandinavian duo Wildbirds & Peacedrums and AfroCubism producer Nick Gold, this has been a very eclectic year - as always - and featuring some of the biggest events in music. To listen to the full interviews, check out the set with all the 2010 podcasts at http://snd.sc/frOblm. Thank you for listening and see you in 2011!! For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

World Circuit producer Nick Gold on Afrocubism - the original idea which became Buena Vista Social Club in a first instance. Plus Paloma Faith and Guy Barker (courtesy of BBC Radio 2 and Cheltenham Jazz Festival) talk about their sold out concert in December, Down at the End of Lonely Street; and the incredibly talented China Moses talks about the opening gala concert of the 2011 London Jazz Festival. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Metronomy open the celebrations for the 10th Bicycle Film Festival on October 14th. Ben Eshmade chats with Jack Barnett from These New Puritans about their music influences, the making of their ambitious album Hidden, and their live performance @ the Barbican on 23 Oct with the Britten Sinfonia. Plus, Michael Rother from the legendary German group NEU!, which influenced and have been lauded by David Bowie, Hawkwind, Iggy Pop, Sonic Youth, Radiohead, U2, Wilco, Primal Scream, and many others. He explains how NEU!'s sound didn't actually involve any synthesizers at the beginning, and talks about their "action painting" approach to creating music. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy