Our Music Our Freedom

The Music Goes Round and Round

Presenters: Rita Ray and Max Reinhardt
A vibrant musical collage celebrating standout sounds from Wandsworth’s year as London Borough of Culture and the rich musical heritage that has shaped the borough over the past five decades.
The programme features highlights from the Celadon Club at the Wandsworth Arts Fringe Festival, showcasing a world of East Asian sounds, alongside performances from Wandsworth Music at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, presenting a programme devised by students with disabilities.
We also revisit some of the borough’s most iconic musical moments from T. Rex to punk and rave guided by legendary local activist and community historian Geoff Simmons, who shares stories and memories from Wandsworth’s evolving music scene.
The journey continues with the remarkable story of Dub Vendor, the much-loved record shop and its influential Fashion Records label a cornerstone of UK reggae, dub, dancehall and Black British music, keeping the sound system spirit alive in Wandsworth for more than 50 years.

The Fayre Feld Full of Folk

Presenter: Max Reinhardt
A journey through the story of folk music in the borough over the past five decades, told through the experiences of one of the UK’s most distinctive performers and songwriters, Lisa Knapp.
Born and raised in Balham and Tooting, Lisa reflects on where she first learned her craft and how her deep connection to folk music developed within the local community. Along the way, we hear archive reflections and music from the late, legendary Bert Jansch, who lived in Putney during the 1970s, alongside song extracts from influential artists including Anne Briggs, Shirley Collins, A. L. Lloyd, Martin Carthy and The Imagined Village, among others.
Lisa’s husband, producer and musical collaborator Gerry Diver, also contributes insights and reflections, adding further perspective to this rich musical story.

Wellbeing in Wandsworth

Presenter: Rita Ray
Rita Ray visits a range of wellbeing projects across the borough, exploring how music, creativity and community participation support mental health, connection and personal expression.
Featured projects and contributors:
Arti Prashar – Sensory Theatre MakerArti Prashar discusses her creative practice and the central role music plays in her sensory theatre work. We hear excerpts from her at-home production Culture Box, as she reflects on how the cultural sounds and resonances of her upbringing have become powerful sources of inspiration within her work.
Sound MindsA unique and inspiring music and arts centre where all staff and participants have lived experience of mental health challenges. The organisation offers jam sessions, recording studio production, DJ workshops, choir sessions and rehearsal spaces. The programme features interviews with staff and members, live music and poetry from a jam session, and recorded tracks created by participants.
Hyelim KimSouth Korean virtuoso musician Hyelim Kim shares the origins of the traditional daegeum flute and explains how her research into music and wellbeing highlights its ability to promote healing and calm for both audiences and performers. She performs the daegeum during the programme.
Oily CartThe internationally celebrated Tooting-based theatre company specialising in sensory productions for young and neurodivergent audiences. Artistic Director Ellie Griffiths explains how music is integral to creating immersive and accessible experiences. Featured performances include neurodivergent creator-musicians Kyllah Dyer (cello, The World Beneath Us, 2024), Lucy Bowen (guitar, InsideWays, 2025), and Maya Youssef with cast members from The Bounce (2014).
Community Gospel Choir – St Michael’s, Wandsworth CommonChoir leader Cecelia Wickham Anderson and choir members reflect on the transformative power of singing together and the sense of community the choir has created. The programme captures the choir in full voice during a special recording session.
 

Cymande: The Greatest Band You’ve (probably) Never Heard Of

Presenter: Max Reinhardt
Cymande are a British band formed in Balham in the early 1970s. With members whose roots span several Caribbean nations, the group developed a distinctive, eclectic sound they described as “nyah-rock” a fusion of funk, soul, reggae, rock, African, Guyanese and jazz influences.
Founding members Steve Scipio (bass) and Patrick Patterson (guitar) grew up on the same street - Byrne Road in Balham - where a shared passion for music led them to form the band in 1971. Cymande released three influential albums before disbanding in 1974, during which time they toured major US stadiums alongside soul and funk legends including Reverend Al Green.
Their music found a new generation of fans decades later after being widely sampled by leading hip-hop artists such as The Fugees, De La Soul and MC Solaar. Reuniting in the 2010s, Cymande have since toured internationally, enjoying renewed critical acclaim and an expanding intergenerational audience. Their latest album, Renascence, was released in January 2025.
In this programme, the band’s remarkable story is told by founder members Steve Scipio and Patrick Patterson.

Wandsworth’s Jazz Buzz

Presenter: Rita Ray
This programme explores the vibrant jazz culture of Wandsworth, highlighting the borough’s music education pathways and the artists shaped by its thriving creative community.
Featured contributors:
Wandsworth Music Academy
Dan White, CEO
Olly Blackman, tutor of the Academy’s Senior Jazz Orchestra
Members of the Senior Jazz Orchestra: Cacely (saxophone), Aiden (trumpet) and Tom (guitar)
World Heart Beat Music Academy
Julian Joseph, patron of World Heart Beat Music Academy, founder of the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy and acclaimed jazz pianist, raised in the borough and still a Wandsworth resident.
Nathan Dawkins, bass and clarinet player, who joined World Heart Beat Music Academy aged eight. Now a member of ensembles including Tomorrow’s Warriors and Trinity Laban Big Massive, interviewed at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in Greenwich, where he is currently studying.
Soweto Kinch Acclaimed jazz saxophonist, hip-hop artist, composer, bandleader and BBC Radio 3 presenter, reflecting on his upbringing in Wandsworth and his early music lessons at Allfarthing Primary School.

Desi Sounds and Stories

Presenters: Anabel Provensal and Max Reinhardt
Exploring the music and voices of the borough’s Asian diaspora communities, this programme reflects on life in Wandsworth over the past 50 years - charting personal stories of migration, cultural change and the evolution of local music scenes.
Contributors include Natasha Kathi Chandra (Tara Theatre), members of Alien Kulture, the influential 1980s punk band, Manoharan Ratheeshkumar, violinist, and Hafiz Wakass Rehman Saqibi, Imam of Taj Daar e Madina Masjid & Education Centre, Tooting.

A Tale of Two Schools: Spencer Park & Elliott

Presenters: Rita Ray & Anabel Provensal
Spencer Park School
Former pupil Dennis Bovell shares memories and stories from his time at the school.
An historical overview from Chris Johnson, music teacher during the 1970s and 1980s.
Former pupil Julian Joseph reflects on the school’s inspiring and influential musical culture.
Tribute to former pupil Noel McKoy (1961–2022), the celebrated soul singer.
Music extracts include: The Pasadenas, Marie Pierre, The Investigators, Noel McKoy and Matumbi.
Elliott School
Interviews with Elliott School alumni:
Ed Spevock (student in the 1960s), drummer with Babe Ruth, Pete Brown & Piblokto!, Stan Webb’s Chicken Shack, The Amboy Dukes and the Graham Bond Band.
Emma Smith (student in the 1990s), musician and vocalist whose collaborations include the Elysian String Quartet, Pulp and Beth Gibbons.
Music excerpts feature: Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, Four Tet, Hot Chip and The xx.

Sankofa African Sounds and Stories

Presenter: Rita Ray
Featuring interviews with:
Dennis Bovell, reflecting on his experiences working with African musicians and the influence of African music on the UK scene.
Lekan Babalola, Grammy Award-winning percussionist and bandleader from Lagos, Nigeria.
Teddy Osei of Osibisa, the pioneering Afro-rock band from Ghana with strong roots in Wandsworth.
Aboubacar Kouyaté, percussion teacher in Wandsworth schools and member of Balimaya Project — a percussion-led ensemble that has rapidly emerged as one of the UK jazz scene’s rising stars.

Take Me Where The Music’s Playing: Five Live Music Venues in the Borough

World Heart Beat (Nine Elms) - featuring Sahana Gero, Founder and Artistic Director, and patron Julian Joseph.
The Grand (Clapham Junction) - featuring Ally Wolf, Manager, Producer and Programmer.
The Bedford (Balham) - featuring Tony Moore, Director of Music, Art and Development.
Magic Garden (Battersea Park) - featuring artists who have performed there, including Simo Lagwani and Sarah McGuinness.
Half Moon (Putney) - featuring coverage of Ronnie Wood’s appearance at a 50th birthday celebration there last year, along with spotlighted NEW MOON artists.

What’s the Craic? Irish Sounds and Stories

Presenter: Max Reinhardt and Anabel Provensal
The Irish community has been one of the borough’s largest and most influential communities over the past 50 years. In this programme, we explore the history of Irish music locally during that time, speaking with long standing Irish residents such as Jean Rathbone.
We’ll also hear from acclaimed Irish record producer and instrumentalist Gerry Diver, who performed regularly in the borough throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, alongside reflections from folk artist Lisa Knapp, whose work has been deeply connected with Irish music both locally and beyond.
The programme also includes a visit to the Ramble Inn in Tooting, a longstanding hub of Irish culture and music in south London.