As our contribution to the celebration of Black History Month, we attend to several literary and musical pieces from the African American tradition: Langston Hughes, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, Leadbelly, James Weldon Johnson, Paul Robeson, Thelonius Monk and John Coltrane, Jayne Cortez and a wonderful reading from James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues”. You are invited to attend. [As heard on Cambridge 105 Radio]
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We attend to a passage from Walt Whitman, full of vibrant acceptance of all people, and all things, around him, and then to the story of Pygmalion, and his confusion between a work of art and reality. How does one merge into the other? You are invited to attend. [As heard on Cambridge 105 Radio]
We attend to various aspect of giving, or asking to be given, or giving back. There are so many angles to this theme that we can attend to only a limited number of aspects. There’s a hipster song, two Dylan ballads, a French children’s song, Josh White’s wonderful voice, and more from Fraggle Rock, plus a fine Leonard Cohen piece to close. You are invited to attend. [As heard on Cambridge 105 Radio]
We continue with the theme of “the serene peaceful state of being a fool among knaves” – though it’s not always serene or peaceful. We hear George Ade’s “Fable of the Visitor Who Got a Lot for Three Dollars” and lots of Kinks songs about fools, being fooled, being aware of being fooled. You are invited to attend. [As heard on Cambridge 105 Radio]
We attend to all sorts of fools, fools in love, being fooled part of the time, Nasruddin, the wise men of Chelm, with klezmer, Ruben and the Jets, Dylan, Badfinger, Wendell Berry, and others. You are invited to attend. [As heard on Cambridge 105 Radio]
We come to the bottom of Hell, with the frozen betrayers and traitors, and the monster Devil at the centre. And then out again, up under the stars. [As heard on Cambridge 105 Radio]
It’s a bloody show this time, as Dante witnesses those who severed the unity of society and now show their bodies all severed. But you’re not daunted; come along with us: you’re invited to attend. [First heard on Cambridge 105 Radio]
We attend to a long, exciting, comic, nasty episode in the Inferno, the place where Dante finds himself in greatest danger. He is in the area of public corruption, where both the damned souls and the demons tormenting them are out only for themselves, and their own cruel satisfactions. And we have some good commentary and good music to go along with this. You are invited to attend and see how Dante’s depiction might shed light on the public corruption around us. [First heard on Cambridge 105 Radio]
Continuing with Dante, and the twisted, thrawn magicians, sorcerers, soothsayers in Hell. What’s wrong with them? Where do we find them in our world today? You are invited to attend. [First heard on Cambridge 105 Radio]
We attend to Dante and Virgil denied entrance to the Gate of Inner Hell, and to what then ensures. You are invited to attend.
[As heard on Cambridge 105 Radio]
