Programme Information

Mike Harding presents an hour of the very best in folk, roots and acoustic music, including an interview with American singer-songwriter Richard Shindell.

A songwriter's songwriter, Richard is noted for his cinematic and evocative songs that deal vividly with personal, political and spiritual subjects.

His narrative songs have been covered by the likes of Joan Baez and Dar Williams, and his own records have featured guest spots by Richard Thompson, Eliza Gilkyson and long-time Shindell collaborator Lucy Kaplansky.

New Jersey-born and Buenos Aires-based, Richard joins Mike Harding to talk about his influences and early days, about making a living as a singer-songwriter, and about the remarkable and varied subjects that have inspired his fantastic songs.

Presenter/Mike Harding, Producer/Kellie While for Smooth Operations

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

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Live from Manchester, Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie are joined by their glam show regular, Noddy Holder.

Presenter/Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie, Producer/Lizzie Hoskin for Smooth Operations

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

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From the Sixties to the present day, funk reverberates through popular culture in fashion, street language, TV, the movies and pop music. The far-reaching influence of funk is everywhere.

In the second part of the series, Let's Take It To The Stage, American actress Pam Grier examines the funkiest decade of all, the Seventies. Back when bell bottoms, afros and hoop earrings were the thing, an explosion of bands took funk to the world stage with acts such as George Clinton's P-Funk, Kool And The Gang, Stevie Wonder, Average White Band, The Bar-Keys, the Ohio Players and The Meters. These acts were supported by the emergence of new genres such as jazz, African and Latin funk.

Taking listeners on a funk history odyssey, Pam, who has been a fan of the music since she starred in the so-called Blaxploitation movies of the Seventies, ensures that BBC Radio 2 is one station under a groove.

The series features contributions from Earth Wind And Fire, Kool And The Gang, Sly And The Family Stone, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, P-Funk musicians, Average White Band, Cameo, Clyde "Funky Drummer" Stubblefield, Charles Wright, The Last Poets, Beverley Knight, Matt Fink, Acid Jazz's Eddie Piller and rapper Shock G.

Presenter/Pam Grier, Producer/James Hale for BBC Wales

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

In the final leg of BBC Radio 3's celebration of the genius of Mozart, 1791 Day sets in context Mozart's music and activities during his final year and this offering includes two performances of the Requiem Mass, his most iconic work and the key to so much of the Mozart mythology.

Choral Evensong presents a liturgical performance of Mozart's Requiem Mass in D minor K626, live from the impressive surroundings of the Chapel of New College, Oxford. The soloists, Jonty Ward (treble), Guy Cutting (tenor) and Thomas Edwards (bass), are drawn from the Choir of New College and are accompanied by the European Union Baroque Orchestra directed by Edward Higginbottom.

Producer/Stephen Shipley

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

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The second Requiem in Performance On 3 features a modern concert performance by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by its incoming chief conductor Juanjo Mena.

Producer/Peter Thresh

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

Jeremy Bowen meets the Lebanese wine makers who braved the frontline

Jeremy Bowen takes listeners on a journey across arid mountains and through Mediterranean valleys, meeting the wine makers who braved the bombs and bullets of the frontline.

Lebanon is a Middle Eastern country nestled between Arab neighbours whose religion forbids them to drink alcohol. It is also a country that has been scarred by war, from the 15-year civil war between 1975 and 1990 to the recent Israeli-Lebanon conflict in 2006.

But Lebanon is also an ancient civilisation, a country of merchants and traders. Its history dates back to Noah, the first wine maker in the Bible. Fittingly the Temple of Bacchus, an impressive tribute to the God of wine, is situated among the ruins of Balbek, in the Bekaa Valley. But the temple, like Lebanese wine, has survived centuries of war and the wine makers of the Bekka are optimistic that wine will outlive war.

Sharing stories with the wine makers who, in defiance and dedication to their craft, continue to grow their vines so close to the frontline, Jeremy delves into the cultural and ethnic mosaic of this unstable but extraordinary country.

Presenter/Jeremy Bowen, Producer/Gemma Newby for All Out Productions

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

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Sue's plans to break free of the tough housing estate on which she lives are scuppered by husband Finn going to the aid of a neighbour who has learning difficulties, in Helen Clohessy's My Haunted Expression.

Sue is tired of the violence, noise and ugliness of her inner London estate. She'd love to move, perhaps to the seaside, perhaps run a Bed and Breakfast but she can't get a job and her husband Finn doesn't bring home much money.

Sue's best friend Lisa keeps her afloat. Fun-loving Lisa refuses to be bullied by anyone or anything. Aware that Sue needs a change, Finn suggests blowing their savings on a trip to Australia but they settle amicably for a day in Brighton. Finn even agrees to apply for a job with London Underground to get more money to enable them to move.

Their plans are scuppered by an impulsive act of kindness, when Finn is arrested for assaulting a policeman while going to the aid of Running John, a neighbour with learning difficulties who was being evicted because he didn't fill in his Housing Benefit forms.

Can Sue and Finn work out their differences?

My Haunted Expression stars Rosie Cavaliero as Sue, John Dougall as Finn, Sally Orrock as Lisa, Tony Bell as Mick, Daniel Cooper as JJ, Deeivya Meir as Milly and Jude Akuwudike as Derek.

Producer/David Hunter for the BBC

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

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Thin Air Ep 1/3

Wednesday 12 January

9.00-9.30pm BBC RADIO 4

Gabrielle Walker explores the atmosphere – the ocean of air on which we all depend.

Gabrielle not only experiences air, she weighs it. At ground level, the air is not as "thin" as one might imagine. The Royal Albert Hall, in its day one of the largest volumes of air enclosed in a single span, may appear to be full of nothing, but in fact, the air inside weighs 70 tons.

Later in the series, Gabrielle investigates the two components of air – carbon dioxide and oxygen – and how the atmosphere protects life on Earth from the hazards of deep space.

Presenter/Gabrielle Walker, Producer/Martin Redfern for the BBC

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

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Rufus Hound invites comedian Rob Deering to read embarrassing extracts from his teenage diary in the penultimate episode of the series.

Presenter/Rufus Hound, Producer/Victoria Payne for Talkback Productions

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

5 Live Sport

Wednesday 12 January

7.00-10.30pm BBC RADIO 5 LIVE

Mark Chapman presents the day's sports news and introduces build-up to tonight's Carling Cup semi-final first leg between Ipswich Town and Arsenal, which kicks off at Portman Road at 7.45pm.

From 9.40pm the Final Whistle features reaction from tonight's big match.

Presenter/Mark Chapman, Producer/Mike Carr

BBC Radio 5 Live Publicity

Cricket

Wednesday 12 January

8.15am-12.00noon BBC RADIO 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA

Live from Adelaide, the Test Match Special team presents uninterrupted commentary on the first Twenty20 International between Australia and England.

Producer/Jen McAllister

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra Publicity

Brighton-based indie rockers British Sea Power join Huey Morgan for a live 6 Music session to play songs from their fifth studio album, Valhalla Dancehall.

Presenter/Huey Morgan, Producer/Gary Bales

BBC 6 Music Publicity

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Gideon Coe presents vintage concert highlights from Mansun and James Yorkston.

He also presents classic session tracks from the Pale Fountains, Sleater-Kinney and Tunng.

Presenter/Gideon Coe, Producer/Mark Sheldon

BBC 6 Music Publicity

Edward Stourton investigates the effects of religion on international aid in Haiti

One year after the devastating earthquake, and in the midst of a cholera outbreak, Edward Stourton travels to Haiti to investigate the positive and negative effects of religion on international aid.

Religion in Haiti is an often explosive mix of voodoo and Roman Catholicism, complicated by American evangelists arriving to offer aid in exchange for souls, and to talk of God's "curse" on the country's voodoo roots.

All this is taking place in a country already battling political instability, disease and allegations that food aid and cheap imports have destroyed local agriculture.

This programme will be broadcast again at 4.30pm today.

Presenter/Edward Stourton

BBC World Service Publicity