Lopa Kothari - World on 3

[howard male]

Lopa Kothari's first show was pretty damn good if you ask me. Musically she hardly put a foot wrong, and she was also an agreeable and well informed presenter.

[Chris P]

Yep, the segment I heard before crashing out, was excellent and interesting. She sounds knowlegable on groups that are a little off the everyday World music or usual Late Junction track, and it was all the fresher and engaging for it.

[Chris P]

Playlist



Lopa Kothari
11 February 2008
11:15pm

Les Amazones de Guinee: Deni Wana (3.53)
album: Les Amazones de Guinee
Sterns Africa STCD1106
http://www.sternsmusic.com/

Dimi Mint Abba: Song 4 (3.59)
album: World Circuit presents.
World Circuit WCD076
http://www.worldcircuit.co.uk/

Watcha Clan: Les Hommes Libres (4.46)
album: Diaspora Hi-Fi - A Mediterranean Caravan
Piranha CD-PIR2230
http://www.watchaclan.com/
http://www.piranha.de/

Whawha Young Offenders, Gweru: Messiah (2.21)
Recorded 15 November 2007 in the chapel of Harare Central Prison, Zimbabwe
album: Songs from Prison
CD provided by Nigel Johnson of Radio Dialogue in Zimbabwe
http://www.radiodialogue.com/

The Garifuna Women's Collective: Uruwei (The King) (1.56)
album: Umalali - The Garifuna Women's Project
Cumbancha CMB-CD-6
http://www.cumbancha.com/
http://www.stonetreerecords.com/

Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective: Beiba (Go Away) (4.05)
Featuring Andy Palacio and Lugua Centeno on vocals
album: Watina
Cumbancha Records CMB-CD-3
Originally released on Stonetree Records from Belize
http://www.stonetreerecords.com/
http://www.cumbancha.com/

Vieux Farka Toure: Courage (Fabian Alsultany's UFOs Over Bamako Remix) (6.46)
album: Vieux Farka Toure Remixed: UFOs Over Bamako
Modiba MP 005
http://www.vieuxfarkatoure.com/
Read a review of this album

Inmates of the Khami Maximum Security Prison, Bulawayo: Ngaphetsheya (2.43)
Recorded 15 November 2007 in the chapel of Harare Central Prison, Zimbabwe
album: Songs from Prison
CD provided by Nigel Johnson of Radio Dialogue in Zimbabwe

The Indica Project: Six Hands Clapping (3.08)
Featuring Mumbai eunuchs Shobha and Party
album: The Indica Project
Phat Phish Records
http://www.phat-phish.com/

Radio Citizen feat. Bajka: El Cielo (3.02)
album: Berlin Serengeti
Ubiquity Recordings URCDLP196
http://www.myspace.com/radiocitizen
http://www.ubiquityrecords.com/

Harare Central Prison Choir: Ndaive Mbaka (4.53)
Recorded 15 November 2007 in the chapel of Harare Central Prison, Zimbabwe
album: Songs from Prison
CD provided by Nigel Johnson of Radio Dialogue in Zimbabwe

Titina: A mim na meio di mar (Me in the middle of the sea) (4.02)
album: Cruel Destino
Astral Music ASTRCD001

Buika: Mi Nina Lola (4.24)
album: Mi Nina Lola
Casa Limon 0825646327454
http://www.buika.net/
http://www.casalimon.info/

DJ Dolores: Cala Cala (3.47)
album: 1 Real
Ziriguiboom Zir31
http://www.crammed.be/

Margareth Menezes: Mamae Querida (2.25)
album: Maga (Afropopbrasileiro)
Universal 325912004032
http://www.margarethmenezes.com.br/

Marcelinho da Lua + Seu Jorge: Cotidiano (5.24)
album: Tranquilo!
Deckdisc 22008-2
http://www2.marcelinhodalua.net/

Mum: Marmalade Fires (4.58)
album: Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy
FatCat FATCD16P
http://www.myspace.com/mumtheband

Huun Huur Tu: Ezir-Kara (3.28)
album: Live 1
Green Wave International GRCD 2001-2
http://www.huunhuurtu.com/

Rabih Abou-Khalil: Al-Jadida (4.00)
album: Al-Jadida
Enja Records ENJA 6090 2 (1991), Tr.6
http://www.enjarecords.com/

The Indica Project: Children of Bharati (4.26)
Sung in Telugu by adivasi children from Andhra Pradesh, joined by Sukamma and Sabine Kobongo (Zap Mama)
album: The Indica Project
Phat Phish Records
http://www.phat-phish.com/

Souad Massi: Why Is My Heart Sad (Malou) (6.03)
album: Honeysuckle (Mesk Elil)
Wrasse Records WRASS 170
http://www.souadmassi.com.fr/
http://www.wrasserecords.com/

Whawha Young Offenders, Gweru: Thomasi (2.25)
Recorded 15 November 2007 in the chapel of Harare Central Prison, Zimbabwe
album: Songs from Prison
CD provided by Nigel Johnson of Radio Dialogue in Zimbabwe

Andy Palacio & the Garifuna Collective: Watina (I Called Out) (4.41)
album: Watina
Cumbancha Records CMB-CD-3
Originally released on Stonetree Records from Belize

[Rob Hall]

That was a really good, well-balanced show. I've never heard of Lopa Kothari before, but I was impressed with this selection.

[Ian A.]

Good selection, but . . . I'm sure it's imposed by Radio 3 producers, but she sounded throughout like she was reading off a script. I'm sure she prepared her own script and therefore all the knowledgeable stuff was from her own interests and legwork, but am I alone in finding this distancing? One of the reasons Andy, Charlie and the late Peel and Alexis are/were so good and engaging on the radio is that they all winged it, naturally.

I say this from experience - the best music radio is live, or if recorded then done as live in one take with no script, a few scribbled note at best, so as presenter you're listening to, reacting to, pulled into the music and then having a conversation with the listener. I regret not being able to do that with fRoots Radio - as a shoestring production I don't have the technology to play in and cross fade the music and speech and so have to capture everything separately and stitch it together later on the computer. My favourite ever radio was when I used to be live on the air, changing my mind about what to play next, cuing in the traffic reports and weather - when I listen to those back now I think I was pretty OK at it, sounded like a human being rather than an announcer. Four hours sitting in for Paul Jones at 12 hours notice, no chance to prepare, just a big bag full of blues and world music CDs hastily pulled from the shelves. Dark room, headphones. People phoning in while records were playing. Proper radio.

Of course the BBC is shit scared of anything improvised or risky happening on the air these days, but I say let her at least wing it and record the whole thing as live with no safety net. Then we'll know if she's a great world music broadcaster or not. Sounds very much like she could be, given the chance.

[Ali]

No presenter can make music sound any better than it actually is. The quality of the selection is 99% of what matters. I'd choose a poor presenter with great music over some ego maniac playing mediocre music in order to bore us about their connection to it every time.

If only we had the choice.

[howard male]

Ian Anderson wrote -

Good selection, but . . . I'm sure it's imposed by Radio 3 producers, but she sounded throughout like she was reading off a script.

She did a very good job of reading from a script though! It was only when I suddenly noticed that not a single 'um', 'er' or 'I mean' had appeared in her between song chatter, that I began to smell a rat.

But I'm with Ali on this one - if the music's good, she can just make seal noises between songs for all I care.

[ian russell]

Ian A.'s sentiment might be all well and good but it appears to overlook it is a service provided for the listener not the DJ.

I'm not sure if she was winging it or reading it, it was just exceedingly well presented and should be the model for future programmes. This listener would like his money spent on properly planned programmes made with as much intelligence as is available to the BBC. (to be honest, I don't think this happens enough right now for reasons best known by the corporation. 'they' say TV is dumb but radio is too often far worse).

But I suspect mine is a minority report; with respect, I look at Howard Male's comment above and I fear that's the voice of the actual target audience.

[Philip Ryalls]

Of course the BBC is shit scared of anything improvised or risky happening on the air these days..

I haven't heard Lopa Kothari's programme yet, but if you want improvised and risky check last weeks Jazz on 3 with David Torn/Tim Berne/ Craig Taborn/Tom Rainey. Streamed until tonight then gone...

[Ian A.]

Ian A.'s sentiment might be all well and good but it appears to overlook it is a service provided for the listener not the DJ.

Not at all, the opposite in fact. A relaxed DJ who engages you is far more likely to draw you in and engage and enthuse you with the music. The examples I cited do/ did exactly that and, I feel, better than an announcer no matter how good their script is. This is value added for the listener, for the music in general and (b.t.w.) more fun for the presenter too.

[howard male]

Ian wrote -

I look at Howard Male's comment above and I fear that's the voice of the actual target audience.

My 'seal noises' comment was meant to be taken with a pinch of salt. I should imagine most of us would simply like a presenter who is both agreeably spontanious and well informed, but they are, I'm sure, thin on the ground - particularly in an area like world music. But I'd take scripted knowledge over spontanious lack of knowledge anyday.

Funnily enough we are never bothered by the TV presenter who 95% of the time is reading from a script, yet if we even get the inkling that a radio presenter might be doing the same thing, if seems to concern us more.

[Charlie]

One of the reasons Andy, Charlie and the late Peel and Alexis are/were so good and engaging on the radio is that they all winged it, naturally. The best music radio is live, or if recorded then done as live in one take with no script, a few scribbled note at best, so as presenter you're listening to, reacting to, pulled into the music and then having a conversation with the listener.

I second this emotion, and can only do shows this way.

If Lopa is reading, and I agree she may be, she is much better at it than I would be. My problem is that I distract myself with the thought that I sound as if I am reading, at which point all communication ends and the thing sounds like somebody going through the motions. You can often hear it happen on TV programmes when a presenter who is very lively on camera can suddenly sound like a robot when heard reading a script off-camera.

There are a few people who read so well, I can't tell the difference - Johnny Walker and Bob Harris come to mind. John Peel was also equally good in either mode, live or scripted. I think Andy Kershaw falls into this category too, and I'm not sure which way he does his Monday night slots - has anybody seen him in action doing his show? Because of the magazine nature of World Routes, with lots of inserted elements, Lucy Duran reads scripts and sounds so much freer as soon as she is in conversation with her guests.

[Jamie Renton]

There are a few people who read so well, I can't tell the difference - Johnny Walker and Bob Harris come to mind. John Peel was also equally good in either mode, live or scripted. I think Andy Kershaw falls into this category too, and I'm not sure which way he does his Monday night slots - has anybody seen him in action doing his show?

Surely the frequent bits where he said things like "Oh bugger, I've dropped the CD" couldn't have been scripted, could they?

[Chris P]

Well if Lopa is reading - it ain't broke, in fact it's very good, so don't go feeling you have to fix anything

[JJ]

i am listening as we speak.

maybe holding keywords as if you were presenting to a live audience should be recommended...otherwise one might sound rather alot like other bbc presenters. It seems like a bbc style in fact...reading.

Obviously Lopa is doing her first couple of shows, recorded at the same time - she'll perhaps gain some confidence that she knows what she is talking about and wing it and develop her own presentation style. It's music she knows and has chosen herself so should be able to do that eventually. but I think it must be difficult at first...to get it right and find your style but also fit the bbc style too.

JJ