Programme Information

Star euphonium player David Thornton has just added conducting to his impressive musical CV, as he starts to combine playing with his new job as music director of Wingates Band, one of the UK's oldest and most famous brass bands.

He talks to Frank Renton about the challenge of conducting Perspectives Of Pretoria, his first CD with the band, which is a tribute to a local mining disaster which took place 100 years ago. He also recalls his time with the famous Black Dyke Band and talks about his solo albums and plans for the future.

Presenter/Frank Renton, Producer/Terry Carter for the BBC

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

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Chris Barber – Leader Of The Band Ep 1/2

Wednesday 20 April

10.00-11.00pm BBC RADIO 2

Jools Holland presents a profile of Chris Barber, a British jazz great celebrating his 62nd year as a bandleader.

Inspired by the King Creole Jazz Band, Chris formed his first band in 1949, aged 19. They created the skiffle movement and broke new ground for jazz in the US, where he played for President Kennedy, and behind the Iron Curtain, where his fame meant that he could travel without a passport.

In addition to his successful recording career, Chris first brought greats such as Muddy Waters to the UK, helping create the Sixties British blues boom. His involvement in London's fledgling Marquee Club gave the Rolling Stones an early platform, and he was one of the founding fathers of the Reading Festival.

The programme features recollections from Chris, alongside contributions from Mark Knopfler, Paul Jones, Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball, Van Morrison, Jon Hiseman, Phil Collins, Lonnie Donegan, Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and more.

Presenter/Jools Holland, Producer/Mark Hagen for the BBC

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

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Trevor Nelson shares presenting duties with Grammy Award-winning R&B star Raphael Saadiq this week.

In demand as a producer, songwriter and musician, Raphael has worked with Whitney Houston, Mary J Blige, D'Angelo, Kelis, Q-Tip, Ludacris, The Bee Gees, Joss Stone, Earth, Wind & Fire and many others. He was previously lead vocalist and bass player with Tony! Toni! Toné! and he created the supergroup Lucy Pearl with En Vogue's Dawn Robinson and A Tribe Called Quest's Ali Shaheed Muhammad.

Following the release of his third solo album, Stone Rollin', Raphael plays his all-time favourite soul tracks, as well as one or two of his own.

Presenters/Trevor Nelson and Raphael Saadiq, Producer/Dan Cocker for Somethin' Else

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

The BBC Singers perform Dupré's Psalm setting De profundis and Fauré's Requiem, conducted by David Hill.

Although widely known for his chamber music and French songs, it is with his Requiem that Fauré produced his magnum opus – a much-loved masterpiece.

The BBC Singers perform the Requiem in a new version for choir and small instrumental ensemble, arranged by David Hill, and it is preceded by a rarely heard large-scale setting of Psalm 130, De profundis, by the great French organ virtuoso Marcel Dupré.

It is followed by the Arcanto Quartet, recorded earlier this year at Wigmore Hall, London.

Presenter/Catherine Bott, Producer/Janet Tuppen

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

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Matthew Sweet presents Night Waves

Matthew Sweet dons his kinky boots to investigate the phenomenon that was The Avengers, 50 years after it first hit Britain's television screens.

As well as its regular cavalcade of cyborgs, spies and megalomaniacs, The Avengers seemed to present a new action figure: the liberated single female who, week after week, proved to be deadlier than the male. But, asks Night Waves, how progressive was the series' sexual politics? Was Diana Rigg in her leather cat suit a male fantasy or a feminist icon? And did Honor Blackman always play second fiddle to Patrick Macnee?

Matthew has assembled a crack team of thinkers to ponder these mind-bending questions: fans Bea Campbell and Sarah Dunant; historian Dominic Sandbrook; and one of the masterminds behind The Avengers, screenwriter Brian Clemens.

Presenter/Matthew Sweet, Producer/Stephen Hughes

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

Bill Nighy stars as a bat-obsessed widower in this romantic comedy by Amelia Bullmore.

After his wife died in a car crash three years ago, Christopher decided to ditch his job and flee to Cornwall, where he settled on bat protection as his mission – he would do something very small but do it extremely well. But along came Colette, a woman still reeling from her husband's desertion a year ago, and her teenage daughters to disturb his peace.

Bill Nighy plays Christopher and the cast also features Katherine Parkinson, Jenny Agutter, Sean Baker, Lauren Mote and Georgia Groome.

Producer/Mary Peate for the BBC

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

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The Moral Maze Ep 1/7

Wednesday 20 April

8.00-8.45pm BBC RADIO 4

Michael Buerk chairs a new series of The Moral Maze with more combative, provocative and engaging debate examining the moral issues behind one of the week's news stories.

Michael is joined by Claire Fox, Kenan Malik, Michael Portillo and Matthew Taylor.

Presenter/Michael Buerk, Producer/Phil Pegum for the BBC

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

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In this series, six well-known figures reflect on different elements of conflict found in the story of Jesus's ministry and Passion from the perspective of their own personal and professional experience.

The main theme of this year's talks explores conflict in different forms and how it interacts with various aspects of society and culture.

In the final talk, the Reverend Mark Oakley, Canon Treasurer at St Paul's Cathedral, talks about the conflict with God when, in the face of disaster and suffering, He appears absent.

Presenter/Rev Mark Oakley, Producer/Philip Billson for the BBC

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

Mark Pougatch presents the day's sports news, plus coverage and updates from tonight's Premier League football clashes between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal and Chelsea and Birmingham City.

Presenter/Mark Pougatch, Producer/Mike Carr

BBC Radio 5 live Publicity

Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie are joined by Ian McNabb, lead singer of The Icicle Works.

As one of the Liverpudlian neo-psychedelia pioneers, The Icicle Works were propelled to stardom with the likes of Echo & The Bunnymen and The Teardrop Explodes some 30 years ago.

The English alternative rock band of the Eighties will reform for their 30th Anniversary Tour (1981-2011) in April. They will be visiting Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and London.

Presenters/Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie, Producer/Lizzie Hoskin

BBC 6 Music Publicity

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In today's show, songwriter and vocalist Simon Aldred is in session with his band Cherry Ghost.

Cherry Ghost join Marc Riley post tour to discuss their new album, Beneath This Burning Shoreline, out on Heavenly Recordings. In 2008, the band won a prestigious Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song with their first LP, People Help The People.

Presenter/Marc Riley, Producer/Michelle Choudhry

BBC 6 Music Publicity