Laura Barton's Notes from a Musical Island

The music writer Laura Barton visits four corners of Britain and listens closely to the music found in different landscapes. In this final programme, Laura explores two aspects of musical life in the capital.Musical migrants, such as the Nigerian-born guitarist Femi Temowo, found a route into London's music scene via the church, whereas the American composer Nico Muhly has been ado

The music writer Laura Barton visits four corners of Britain and listens closely to the music found in different landscapes.Long ago, the city of Birmingham was dubbed "the home of heavy metal", suggesting a connection between the manufacturing industries of the Black Country and the music of Black Sabbath and others. Now James and Jibs of 'metalcore' group Oceans Ate Alaska have i

The music writer Laura Barton visits four corners of Britain and listens closely to the music found in different landscapes. Crossing into Lancashire through the Upper Calder Valley, Laura visits the Great Bride Stones with musician and cultural geographer Rob St John, who's attuned to the unique sound qualities of this rural-industrial landscape. Then she visits the Queen Street M

The music writer Laura Barton visits four corners of Britain and listens closely to the music found in different landscapes.In this first episode, Laura visits parts of the rugged countryside of Northumberland and the coastal city of Sunderland on Tyne and Wear to explore how music and landscape are intimately related. In an environment defined by a beautiful coastline and great no