We've been focussing on randomness this month.  "Who do that in January," you may ask?  "No particular reason - the idea just popped up out of the blue."  You kind of expected that answer, didn't you?  And throughout the series we have enquired as to why randomness is frowned upon and disrespected.  You may hear people refer to "random" acts of violence, as being particularly unkind.  But I am more worried about "non-random" acts of violence, when someone knows me and makes a conscious choice to hurt me.  At least as a victim of random violence, I could be slightly comforted that nobody spent time PLANNING to cause me harm - it just unfolded.  But that is likely an obscure and unconvincing allegory.  Sorry.  It was just a random thought, and you know how dangerous they can be!

Today on Routes & Branches & Beyond we have northwest voyages, gypsies, causeways, cross-dressing drummers, shoals of herring, rubber folk, a harvest moon, and wonderland itself.  All from musicians such as the Métis Fiddler Quartet. Jim Fidler, Mary Beth Carty, Michael Jerome Browne, Banshee, Ceolbeg, Richard Thompson, Martin Simpson, Waterson: Carthy, Show of Hands, Neil Young, Coco Love Alcorn, and Bùrach.  Turn off the news and join me.

Routes & Branches & Beyond show # 356 2025 01 30

Ivan Emke