Main content

Andy Kershaw and Lucy Duran explore music of river regions around the world, visiting Zambia, Brazil, Thailand and Laos. Including a ritual which celebrates fertility.

For this major series to accompany BBC One's 'Human Planet', Andy Kershaw and Lucy Duran go in search of music from some of the world's remotest locations. This week: Rivers

Zambia: Andy visits the Victoria Falls, and meets Chief Mukuni of the Tokoleya people, who invites him to a celebration at his village which involves the participants getting very drunk and blowing horns very loudly.

Brazil: Onboard the Amazon Queen, Lucy travels around Para state in northern Brazil meeting some of the mighty river's musical characters, including elderly diva Dona Onete, and a group of indigenous villagers from a very remote community that is close to extinction.

Thailand & Laos: Andy records Mekong Music in Laos, and attends a Rocket Festival in northern Thailand which celebrates fertility, calls the monsoon, and makes a mockery of health and safety law, as forty foot rockets packed with explosives are lauched into the air by groups of drunken youths.

Producers James Parkin and Roger Short.

Available now

1 hour

Last on

Sat 26 Feb 201115:00
BBC Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

Grasslands

Next

Cities

See all episodes from Music Planet

Clips

See all clips from Rivers(9)

Music and featured items

  • Rivers - Introduction

    Duration: 01:51

  • Zambia

    Duration: 15:26

  • [traditional]

    Budima horns

    Performers: Budima Ensemble of Chief Mwemba Recorded: by the BBC in Mukuni village, Zambia, 1st August 2010

  • Villages of Mukuni

    Welcome song of King Mukuni

    Recorded: by the BBC in Mukuni village, Zambia, 2nd August 2010

  • [traditional]

    Budima horns

    Performers: Budima Ensemble of Chief Mwemba Recorded: by BBC in Mukuni village, Zambia, 1st August 2010

  • Enoch Mbongwe

    Give generously at a funeral

    Performer: Enoch Mbongwe Recorded: by the BBC at Chikuni village, 3rd August 2010

  • Enoch Mbongwe

    Pray to the Ancestors for Rain

    Performer: Enoch Mbongwe Recorded: by the BBC at Chikuni village, 3rd August 2010

  • Brazil

    Duration: 24:16

  • Mestre Vieira with his band

    Joia

    Performers: Mestre Vieira with his band Recorded: by the BBC in Barcarena, Para State, Brazil, on 15th April 2010

  • Trio Manari

    Piriqui tamboia/Maria & Mangueira

    Performers: Trio Manari Recorded: by the BBC at Furo do Arapari on 13th April 2010

  • Trio Manari

    Boi do Marajo

    Performers: Trio Manari Recorded: by the BBC at Furo do Arapari on 13th April 2010

  • Dona Onete

    Amor brejeiro (Swamp love)

    Performers: Dona Onete and Leo Chermont Recorded: by the BBC in Belem on 15th April 2010

  • Dona Onete

    Paixao cabocla

    Performers: Dona Onete and Leo Chermont Recorded: by the BBC in Belem on 15th April 2010

  • Trad Tembe song

    Daurakawgao

    Performers: The villagers of Itaputyr Recorded: by the BBC in Itaputyr, Para State, Brazil on 17th April 2010

  • Trad Tembe song

    Odriw

    Performers: The villagers of Itaputyr Recorded: by BBC in Itaputyr, Para State, Brazil on 17th April 2010

  • Trad Tembe song

    Tururijoa

    Performers: The villagers of Itaputyr Recorded: by the BBC in Itaputyr, Para State, Brazil on 17th April 2010

  • Thailand / Laos

    Duration: 18:29

  • Trad

    Poor Farmer's Boy

    Performers: Kambani Kalawtong and his family Recorded: by the BBC in Ban Xok, Laos on 7th May 2010

  • Trad

    Looking for Love at the Rocket Festival

    Performers: Kambani Kalawtong and his family Recorded: by the BBC in Ban Xok, Laos on 7th May 2010

  • by the BBC in Yasothon, Thailand on 8th May 2010

    Unknown songs played by various street artists during a parade

Broadcasts

  • Thu 24 Feb 201121:00
    BBC Radio 3
  • Sat 26 Feb 201115:00
    BBC Radio 3