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Radio 3 introduces a new website celebrating the African music scene
across the UK
• A community for all lovers of African music
• A platform for UK-based
African musicians, encouraging further coverage across ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ radio and
TV networks
• Live showcases and events,
including WOMAD 2004 (Reading)
• Africa 2005, a year of
programmes and events on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳
Radio 3
Africa On Your Street is the place to find
out about the African music scene in the UK.
Its African hosts offer tips on gigs, clips of their
favourite CDs, news from the studio and gossip from the dance floor,
covering styles from Afrobeat to zouk and from laid-back mbira to full-on
hip-hop.
You'll find profiles of the big international artists
on tour and interviews with a wealth of African musicians based here
in the UK. And lots of music to listen to!
It is hoped to create a community of music-lovers, celebrating
the UK's rich heritage of African musical traditions, as well as the
fresh energy of new styles and fusions being created every day.
Africans are the fastest growing ethnic minority group
in the UK and the third largest ethnic group after Asians and Black
Caribbeans.
The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s world music programmes and websites contain
more African music than that of any other region.
Africa On Your Street brings together this content in
an appealing form.
The website is 'hosted' by seven African hosts on a
weekly rotation.
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These are a mix of musicians, journalists and music
enthusiasts who each bring a personal, informal style to the site.
They write about their current musical passions and
highlight upcoming gigs and events.
Web visitors can contribute their own comments, reviews,
news and recommendations.
Beyond the website, it is hoped to encourage radio and
television programmes across the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ to pick up on artists from the
project.
And next year Radio 3 launches Africa 2005,
a year-long season of programmes and events celebrating the cultures
of the African continent.
Africa 2005 on Radio 3 will also see the start of a
major new broadcast project to showcase literary and spoken word traditions
from across the continent, including a substantial number of new commissions
and translations.
Our hosts
Shaheera Asante, guest presenter of
Radio 3's Late Junction, selects her own highlights from the 'African
global groove' in London:
"Having a site like Africa On Your Street demonstrates
the vast and untapped continent of African creativity and talent.
"I believe it's only the beginning of the public's
increasing interest in African history, culture, music, fashion, food,
art and her diverse descendents."
DJ Ify covers the Nigerian and pan-African
music scene including parties and community events:
"I want to get across to my African people what's
happening in the music scene - makossa, soukous, highlife, African jazz,
fuji, Afro-juju, zouk...
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"I'll give them who's in the charts at the moment,
the latest releases, club scenes and parties, who's travelling and who's
on tour, all the gossip!"
Nigerian-born hip hop artist JJC (aka
Skillz from Big Brovaz) covers the urban African music scene:
"As a host, I'm specifically hoping to reach younger
people who may think that hip-hop needs to be American to sound heavy...
there's a lot of African hip-hop that's just as good - or even better!
"Many people will be surprised to hear some of
the unique styles coming straight from the streets of Africa.
"Young Africans in the Diaspora will hopefully
find things on the site that make them proud and teach them more about
their own culture."
Awale Kullane covers Somalian music
across the UK:
"The website allows me to provide a window to the
Somali world in the West.
"I'm excited about how visitors to the website
can post their own views and comments. I'd like to create a place where
young Somalians can discuss their music and culture."
Yve Ngoo covers the changing African
scene in Newcastle and the north:
"As a hybrid of Geordie and Cameroonian, I'm absolutely
delighted to introduce the African community of the North East region
of England to AOYS.
"Yes, there are Africans north of Leeds! Here in
Newcastle upon Tyne, our African music scene is slowly developing as
new communities grow."
Chino Odimba covers African music
in Bristol and around:
"African music has been for me a way of remembering
and reconnecting with my cultural heritage.
"As a host for Africa On Your Street I want to
give other people the chance to weave their memories through music in
the same way."
DJ Rita Ray covers African music from
across the continent:
''I love the idea of being able to log on to AOYS to
find out what is happening around the UK.
"I write about international artists but I'll also
be looking at the amazing music you can find on a community level."
Comments
from visitors to the website
Here's a small selection of the comments posted by
visitors to the site so far:
"I am so pleased this site is here! Africa is the
first home of humanity and therefore the source of music... It's way
past time that music from the source receives the attention, praise
and respect it is due! Thank you for doing this, but be warned: now
you have started, we won't let you stop!" (Kojo, London)
"How wonderful to visit your new site. I have been
playing African music for over 20 years to a multicultural dance audience.
It has always had a positive effect on people... The more African music
you play on Radio 3 the better." (Brian Jackson, Colne, Lancashire)
"All diz iz openin up pples eyes 2 see wat wonderful
music we kan produce n show da world African pple r just az good or
better den other different culters. Diz web really also infulences alot
of Africans 2 know dat it iz our pple dat is diz wonderful n not 4gettin
uz Africanz dat live round these endz." (Hannah Okuyemi 4rom Nigeria,
live in London)
"I absolutely overwhelmed and can't hide the joy
to read nice article [on Somali music], a country which is known starvation,
malnutrition and civil war. What more can you ask if the Somali artists
are mention and celebrated among African Diaspora, after we have been
cut-out out side world more than a decade. Well done to ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 3
and Awale Kullane." (Ahmed Kood, Camden, London.)
"Thanks to ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ for this site, it is not just a
big step towards promoting our identity, voice and culture but an inspiration
and pride to many Africans who live outside of the motherland to be
able to get the taste of our music." (Taban Alex Donato, ACT/Australia)
"A wonderful website and concept by the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳...
I can only comment for the London area but for a person who finds access
to African Music and culture not as easy as one would like this is breath
of fresh air. I hope that this is going to be a symbol for the future
of African Music on the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳." (Bacon)
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