Arts Wednesday 24 August 2011

Australian Raven, courtesy 'Birds in Backyards'

It’s almost spring! Join me, Jane Raffan, standing in for Sylvia this week, for a program about spring, and specifically birdlife.

I’ll be playing interviews Sylvia has taped with Walter Boles from the Australian Museum. It’s a winter chat about our incredible birdlife. Sylvia will play bird calls to cue Walter, who will engage us with his expert commentary.

Birds in Backyards is a research, education and conservation program supported by the Museum and focusing on the birds that live where people live. For more on this program see https://www.birdsinbackyards.net/.

And for the museum’s programs and exhibitions related to birds, see https://australianmuseum.net.au/Birds/

The weather is gorgeous at the moment and Sydney’s birds are in full voice. You can hear the top 40 bird calls here https://birdsinbackyards.net/feature/top-40-bird-songs.cfm

As for human made music,  I’ll be playing vocal and instrumental jazz and R&B numbers referencing birds and spring, and a couple of musical interpretations of Australian bird life by Don Harper.

And if you have an interest in birds, especially those with outrageous displays, listen in or listen online to the Arts Monday program next week.

I’ll be speaking with UNSW evolutionary biologist Rob Brooks about his book “Sex, Genes & Rock ‘n’ Roll” in which he makes the case for evolutionary factors shaping the modern world, including answers to such questions as: “Why do so many rock stars end up dead at 27?”; Amy Winehouse being a recent case in point. Apparently there are corollaries in the animal world. It’s all in the Genes…

I look forward to your company.

Jane Raffan (origins: Rathven, pronounced Raven!)

www.ArtiFacts.net.au