Radio highlights

Encounter — South Africans in Australia — Alan Austin investigates the nature and purpose of a range of South Africans living in Australia. Why did they come, how many of them are of the political right, and how do they feel about the elections back home? ABC Radio National, Wednesday, April 27, 7.15pm.

American Music and Popular Culture — Jazz Part II, Big Band Swing — The "classical era of jazz", from the late 1920s to the end of World War II was the period of jazz's greatest stability, popularity and economic success. In the swing era hundreds of big bands developed, from New York to Los Angeles. This program examines the musical, social and political aspects of jazz. ABC Radio National, Thursday, April 28, 11.05am.

Back Catalogue — 1978: The Year in Music — The hard-to-find album releases of 1978 are revisited in this program. Featured artists include: The Band, Van Morrison, Thin Lizy, Todd Rundgren, Queen, Manfred Mann's Earth Band and many more. From Australia: Renee Geyer, Dragon, Cold Chisel, and Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons. 2NUR-FM, Friday, April 29, 7.15pm.

The Nightly Planet — Robyn Johnston presents a new release, Timelessness by Bheki Mseleku, a South African currently living in London. Mseleku is an enormously talented pianist and composer who also plays the saxophone and occasionally sings. Although he resists the label of jazz to describe his music, he has the reputation of being the greatest jazz musician to have emerged since Abdullah Ibrahim. ABC Radio National, Friday, April 29, 11.05pm.

Background Briefing — From Johannesburg — Sharon Davis will chair a live discussion on the outcome of the election. ABC Radio National, Sunday, May 1, 9.10am.

From GLW issue 140