Our Music Our Freedom
A series of unmissable podcasts reflecting the music, musicians and musical communities of Wandsworth over the last 50 years.
Prepare to be surprised and delighted by this musical adventure across our borough. It’s a journey through 1970’s reggae and rock, 1980’s hip hop and Bhangra and 1990’s grime and rave, and all stations to 21st Century indie, electronica and Mercury Award winners. Dive into our Jazz, Folk, Classical, Irish, African, Caribbean and South Asian musical heritage; get immersed in the sounds, stories and memories of Wandsworth’s vibrant and influential music scene.
Our Music Our Freedom epitomises the importance of our shared musical heritage and the impact of music as the sound of tolerance, of education, of liberation, of knowledge, of unity, of joy and…of freedom.
Our Music Our Freedom is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
- Executive Producer: Max Reinhardt
- Presenters: Anabel Provansal, Rita Ray and Max Reinhardt
- Series theme tune, written & performed by Wandsworth Music student David Arteaga Onise
Max Reinhart hosted shows on BBC Radio3 (Late Junction) and BBC World service for over two decades; he presents and produces shows for Soho Radio and Morley Radio; co-founder and long time musical director of Oily Cart, Tooting based pioneers of Sensory Theatre. Rita Ray was and is a member of 70’s chart dwelling, still touring, doo-wop revivalist band Darts; she has presented many shows for BBC World Service, BBC Television and Soho Radio and she toured the world as DJ and member of the ShrineSynchroSystem. Anabel Provansal is a presenter for Womad Radio and Morley Radio, working her way ever deeper into the world of eclectic music radio.
We are very grateful to everyone in the borough and beyond who have contributed with interviews, suggestions, contacts, musical stories and technical advice.
Listen to the podcasts on Spotify here.
Dennis Bovell - Life & Times of a Dub Icon
Producer, composer and musician Dennis Bovell talks about growing up, creating and developing his music in Wandsworth. In many ways, Dennis is the godfather of the borough’s music scene over the last 50 years, because he’s right there at the source of so much UK music. Hear about his contributions and adventures with UK Reggae, Lovers Rock, Dub poetry, African reggae, Afrobeat, pop and more. The ripple effect of his musical dexterity conceived and nurtured in Wandsworth still resounds around the globe.
Co Się Dzieje? (What’s happening?) East European Sounds and Stories
An exploration of the Polish and Ukrainian communities and their music in Wandsworth, and how life and music in the communities has developed, particularly in recent decades. Featuring an interview with Ksenia Kazintseva, who gives an overview of music from Eastern European countries and where it can be heard in Wandsworth, plus a nearby visit to a rehearsal session with the Orleta Polish Folk Song & Dance Group in Balham. This episode also features the exquisite singing of Inna Husieva, an opera singer from Ukraine, now settled in Wandsworth.
What’s the Craic? Irish Sounds and Stories
The Irish Community has been one of the larger communities in the borough over the last 50 years. This episode examines the history of Irish music in Wandsworth over that period, with long time Irish resident Jean Rathbone. Featuring contributions from celebrated Irish record producer and instrumentalist Gerry Diver who played in the borough in the 90s, into the noughties and beyond, and Lisa Knapp, a folk artist who has also been very active in Irish Music, locally and further afield. This episode also features a visit to the Ramble Inn in Tooting.
Take Me Where The Music’s Playing - Live Music Venues in the Borough
A trip around five music venues in Wandsworth, featuring interviews, music excerpts and stories from vital spaces that have hosted and supported many artists over the years. Hear from World Heartbeat’s Founder Sahana Gero; the venue's patron Julian Joseph; General Manager of the Clapham Grand Ally Wolf, celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2025; Director of Music, Art & Development at The Bedford in Balham, Tony Moore; and The Magic Garden in Battersea Park including musicians Simo Lagwani and Sarah McGuiness. There will also be stories from The Half Moon, Putney, that nurtures emerging acts and well-known performers including Elvis Costello, Kate Bush and Ed Sheeran, plus a recording of Ronnie Wood playing at a recent 50th birthday party.
Sankofa African Sounds and Stories
Featuring interviews with Dennis Bovell, talking about his experience of African musicians, Lekan Babalola, Grammy award winning percussionist and bandleader from Nigeria, Teddy Osei from Osibisa, a pioneering Wandsworth-based Afro Rock band from Ghana, and Aboubacar Kouyate, a percussion teacher in Wandsworth Schools and member of Balimaya Project, a percussion driven ensemble who have become fast rising stars on the UK Jazz scene.
A Tale of Two Schools: Spencer Park & Elliott
Two schools in Wandsworth are responsible for nurturing a remarkable number of musicians and bands, Spencer Park in Battersea and Elliot School in Roehampton, now Ark Academy Putney. Spencer Park ex-pupils Dennis Bovell and Julian Joseph share tales of the inspiring musical culture of the school, along with Noel McKoy, celebrated soul singer (1961-2022), and Chris Johnson, Head of Music in the 70s and 80s. The story of Elliot School’s phenomenal list of students who went on to be well known musicians in the world of pop and rock is told by two alumni, drummer Ed Spevcock and violinist Emma Smith.
Desi Sounds and Stories
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 and Education Centre, Tooting.
Wandsworth’s Jazz Buzz
Exploring jazz in Wandsworth over the decades, with visits to Wandsworth Music Academy, conversations with CEO Dan White, tutor of Wandsworth Music's Senior Jazz Orchestra Olly Blackman, and players from the group. This episode also features conversations with Julian Joseph, founder of the World Hearbeat Music Academy and alumni Nathan Dawkins. Soweto Kinch, musician, composer and BBC Radio 3 presenter, also reflects on his Wandsworth upbringing. The episode explores the jazzier pubs, clubs and record companies in the borough, and old school jazz as well as more recent.
Cymande… The Greatest Band You’ve (probably ) Never Heard Of
With a membership deriving from several Caribbean nations, Cymande were noted for their unique eclectic mix of music they called "nyah-rock". The two founder members lived in the same Balham street, discovering a mutual love of music. They formed in 1971 and released three albums before disbanding in 1974, completing USA stadium tours with soul and funk stars like the reverend Al Green. After gaining newfound popularity when their music was sampled by premiere league rap artists, including the Fugees, De La Soul and MC Solaar, they reformed in the 2010s and have toured worldwide ever since. Their most recent album Renascence was released in January 2025. Their story is told by the two founder members Steve Scipio (bass) and Patrick Patterson (guitar).
The Fayre Feld Full of Folk
A story of folk music in Wandsworth over the last five decades, told by one of the UK’s most outstanding performers and songwriters, Lisa Knapp. Lisa was born and brought up in Balham and Tooting, where she learned to play and where her love of folk music evolved. Throughout the episode contributors include the late and legendary Bert Jansch who lived in Putney in the 70s, and extracts from Anne Briggs, Shirley Collins, A.L. Lloyd, Martin Carthy, Imagined Village, and Lisa’s husband and musical partner, Gerry Diver.
Wellbeing in Wandsworth
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 include: Arti Prashar (Sensory Theatre Maker), talking about how music is part of her practice, Sound Minds, an organisation offering music spaces and classes to those with mental health issues, Hyelim Kim, a South Korean Daegeum flute virtuoso musician, Oily Cart, a Tooting based young people's theatre company specialising in sensory work, and Community Gospel Choir at St Michael’s, Wandsworth Common.
The Music Goes Round and Round
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 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, presenting a programme devised by students with disabilities. Featuring more of Wandsworth's iconic musicians including T Rex, Punk and Rave, courtesy of Geoff Simmons, plus the unmissable saga of Dub Vendor, the fabulous record shop and its Fashion Records label, a powerhouse of UK Reggae , dub, dancehall and black British music.