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Life stories of the most interesting people from the world of arts

Outlook Arts: The Best of Outlook Arts - Performers

Nicola Benedetti, Ziggy Marlet, Gregory Porter

26/12/2014

The Best of Outlook Arts - Performers

BBC World Service - Outlook Arts, The Best of Outlook Arts - Performers

Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Ziggy Marley and the one woman show 'Burq Off' by Nadia Manzoor

Matthew Bannister presents some of the most fascinating interviews with performers from this year's programmes, including Albert Mazibuko of Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Nicola Benedetti has been playing the violin since the age of four, and was just 16 when she won the BBC's Young Musician of the Year competition. She is now acclaimed as one of the world's leading violinists, and has recently been turning her attention to traditional Scottish music.

Albert Mazibuko is one of the longest serving members of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the South African singing group created over 50 years ago.

Actress Nadia Manzoor was brought up in London in a Pakistani Muslim home where she spent her childhood rebelling against her family. She has now turned her life story into a one woman show called 'Burq Off'.

Ziggy Marley is the eldest son of the legendary reggae artist Bob Marley and a singer-songwriter in his own right. He talks to the BBC's Nicki Paxman about family music and his latest album Fly Rasta. 

Grammy-nominated American Jazz singer and songwriter Gregory Porter chose not to pursue a career in American football. He tells Matthew Bannister about the  inspiration behind the songs on his new album Liquid Spirit.

Maurillia Simpson from Trinidad carried out three tours of duty in Iraq with the British army. But a serious leg injury forced her to leave her dream job.  She's now acting in a stage play called The Two Worlds of Charlie F along with other former soldiers.  She tells Nicki Paxman about the hilarious process of rehearsing for the play.

Braz Dos Santos is one of the world's best Lambada dancers.  He was making a living as a fisherman in the town of Porto Seguro in southern Brazil where the Lambada craze was born. It has since taken him around the world.  His life story has now been made into a new dance show Brazouka.

Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat are sisters from Iran who found fame singing traditional Persian melodies despite the restrictions on women performing in public.

Sole Mio are a singing group from New Zealand consisting of brothers Pene and Amitai Pati and their cousin Moses Mackay. They perform live in the Outlook studio.

Picture: Nicola Benedetti, Ziggy Marley, Gregory Porter 
Picture credit Nicola Benedetti - Decca and Simon Fowler; Ziggy Marley -  Malia James.

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