MICK MCSHANE is roused by a band whose socialism laces every line of every song with commitment and raw passion
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PHIL HARGREAVES sings the praises of a unique annual music encounter
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ALEX HALL is disgusted by the misuse of ‘emotional narratives’ to justify uninformed geo-political prejudice
SUE TURNER welcomes a thoughtful, engaging book that lays bare the economic realities of global waste management
JOHN GREEN welcomes an insider account of the achievements and failures of the transition to democracy in Portugal
SIMON PARSONS applauds an imaginative and absorbing updating of Strindberg’s classic
PETER MASON is enthralled by an assembly of objects, ancient and modern, that have lain in the mud of London’s river
MUSIC is possibly the most transformative of the arts, and since 1936 the Workers’ Music Association has been exploring the possibilities inherent in allying that with the transformative political project.
I am typing this still in the sparkly glow from the 2024 WMA Summer School, which finished last week — I am proud to be jazz tutor at the school, and a vice president of the association.
Most other summer schools focus on a particular style of music, or even a particular instrument. The WMA school, held at Ingestre Hall near Stafford, is far more ecumenical, offering various strands of classical music, folk, jazz and a wide range of opportunities for singers across the spectrum.
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