Exuberance

William Dart has been writing and presenting New Horizons for over 30 years. When it was first broadcast on RNZ Concert – the network formerly known as the Concert Programme – it was such big news that the Listener made it the cover story. That first series gave me my earliest detailed introduction to musicians such as Randy Newman, Ry Cooder and Joni Mitchell. I’ve been lucky enough to work with William during my stints at the Listener and at Rip It Up, and through occasional contributions to his magazine Music in New Zealand. I envy his RNZ Concert producer Tim Dodd, who has the task of putting together the latest New Horizons each week with William.

New Horizons is now available by podcast, so  if Sunday evenings aren’t already appointment listening, you can catch up through the week. Each programme opens up an attic full of musical treasures. Any new artist covered would be surprised at their rich connections with their ancestors.

William has just reviewed Blue Smoke for Landfall Online. The subject matter, he writes with relief, “so easily could have been reduced to a gibbering carcass by the theoretical lash of Academe.”