Culture Episodes
Jazz for Peace
Jazz musician Rick DellaRatta witnessed the 9/11 attacks from a rooftop in New York City. While watching the unfolding tragedy in front of him, he was inspired to write a poem which later became known as "Jazz for Peace”. Rick didn’t realise it at the time, but Jazz for Peace would become a worldwide movement promoting peace, garnering international recognition and support, most notably from Barack Obama and the United Nations who acknowledged its impact. Rick shares memories of this ex…
Freeing the Voice of Your Soul
“Opera singing is a civilized version of what you were doing when you were a baby. We scream like a little baby. That's what opera singing is all about.” Simona Mango did clarify that you have to scream the right notes of course! Simona reveals the secrets of being an opera singer, overcoming stage fright and what to do if you forget your lines. She also explains her unique perspective as an opera singer to help others “free the voice of their soul” as a life coach.
Simona descr…
Curiosity Calls 1
What have a psychiatrist, a psychic medium, a bodyguard, a WWII survivor, a remote settler and a parliamentary candidate got in common? They all feature in today’s episode. The podcast has now passed 25 episodes, so it felt like a great time to look back. Check out this compilation of the best bits of some of our earlier episodes.
It was great fun revisiting some of the first episodes to feature in the Batting the Breeze podcast. I was delighted to reaffirm that the style and integri…
Symphony of a Mind
"If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism." Today I had the privilege to meet one person with autism. Stuart Ross Carlson is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder but he is defined by his extraordinary musical ability. He is a concert violinist and composer. I tried to understand the contradiction between the very earthly challenges that Stuart and his family face every day and the apparent ethereal effortlessness with which he communicate…
Confessions of a Voice Actor
Today’s guest spends a lot of time in his garden. But he cultivates voices rather than plants. Tim is a voice actor and his garden is where the real magic happens - in his voice booth. It’s his own personal oasis, except instead of palm trees and coconuts, he has microphones and soundproofing foam. Find out about the life of a voice actor as well as meeting a few of Tim’s friends; Liam Neeson, King Charles III, David Attenborough, Sean Connery and Nelson Mandela. His impersonations will make…
The Arizonian Nomad
Can you imagine selling all your worldly possessions, your house, your car, your furnishings and reducing your ownership of ‘things’ to a 22-inch suitcase and a backpack? Well, that’s exactly what today’s guest did, leaving Arizona to travel the world as a digital nomad. Find out how she did it.
Personal comment:
Brenda was on a house sit for a friend near my home. Since she was from Arizona in the United States, some 5,000 miles away, I was curious. And so I sprung myself on Bren…
Awakening in the Northwest Territories
If you’ve retired, are nearing retirement or have ever considered what life looks like after work, you may want to listen in. Alastair Henry provides an alternative to seeing out your days cutting grass and playing golf. And if you haven’t contemplated any of this, well listen in anyway. It’s a charming story.
Thank you Alastair for providing me with a smile and an insight into life well north of the 49th parallel. It's been a pleasure to listen in.
Connect with Alastair…
From Belarus with Love
At the last count, 221 million people have migrated, ie moved from their “country of usual residence”; that’s 3.5% of the world’s population. Of these, just short of 80 million were forcibly moved from their homes as refugees, asylum seekers, or internally displaced. But there are many that move to join their families, to study or to seek a new life. I was lucky enough to catch up with one such person seeking a new life. She’s a gem.
Thank you Varvara for sharing your story with me. …