An upcoming mini-doco aims to tell the story of Kas Futialo, aka Tha Feelstyle, and the way he brings together traditional Samoan music and Western hip-hop.

Talk of New Zealand's 'king' of the blues Midge Marsden retiring after 50 years in the business and playing thousands of concerts around the country is just a little premature. Lynn Freeman talks to him about the home stretch of touring.

GP and senior lecturer at the University of Otago in Wellington Dr Sam Murton produces drawings and videos for patients and puts them up on YouTube to help understanding of medical terms and procedures. Now Dr Murton wants to track down other health practitioners who blend art and explanation for her PhD research.

Since the 1980s German photojournalist Herlinde Koelbl has got people talking about difficult issues. From the plight of refugees to the aging body, and how politics change a person's physique. She's also renowned for her portraits including 26 years of photographing the notoriously private German Chancellor Angela Merkle - from her early years as a shy young politician to now. Merkle is part of a series, 'Traces of Power'. Koelbl is regarded as a pioneer of photojournalism - often doing in depth interviews of her subjects. She's in Auckland as a guest of the city's Festival of Photography, showing recent work of soldiers in different countries - images of how the enemy is portrayed to soldiers during military target practice.

If a friendly looking machine on the side of the road asked you to describe your mood, right now, what would it be? And if you were prepared to take the next step, and press the button with that mood emblazoned on it, would you? If you come across The Mood Machine it will reward your bravery with a piece of art and some writing to match your mood. Artist Emma Ng and poet Hera Lindsay Bird invited young creatives to contributes art and poems for The Mood Machine which will be popping up in in secret locations across Auckland city as part of the Satellites Festival.

Julie Thomas has brought out the final book in her popular series about the Horowitzes, Levi's War (Harper Collins). The trilogy started with The Keeper of Secrets. Set in Nazi Germany, it was the story of a rare violin and 18 year old Simon Horowitz. Rachel's Legacy came next - and now Levi's War completes the family story. In the new book Levi is recruited to spy for England during the war, after having fled there from Germany. The young homosexual Jewish pianist becomes a favourite with the Fuhrer.

Talk of New Zealand's "King" of the Blues Midge Marsden retiring after 50 years in the business and playing thousands of concerts around the country is just a little premature. Midge is again on tour at the moment - we caught up with him in Napier - he's making his way to Wellington for a gig with the Rodger Fox Big Band at the Wellington Jazz Festival 2018. He's both on the road and has produced a double CD retrospective. Midge received the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2016 and was voted New Zealand Entertainer of the Year in 1990.

GP and Senior Lecturer at the University of Otago in Wellington Dr Sam Murton produces drawings and videos for patients and puts them up on youtube to help understanding of medical terms and procedures. Now Sam wants to track down other health practitioners who blend art and explanation for her PhD research.

Maggie Steber is an American multi-award winning photographer who has focused on humanitarian, cultural and social stories in 64 countries. In 2013 Steber was named as one of eleven Women of Vision by National Geographic Magazine. Steber is in New Zealand for the Auckland Festival of Photography.

In just three minutes the team behind a Loaded Docs proposal aim to tell the story of Kas Futialo, a.k.a. 'Tha Feelstyle', and the way he brings together traditional Samoan music and Western hip-hop. Kas Futialo raps in Samoan and English and has been making music since the late 1980s and the Crossroads team will accompany him back to Samoa next month for a big concert there. Loaded Docs challenge is to encapsulate big stories in short short films. At the moment this year's selected teams are trying to raise at least $2000 through crowdfunding on Boosted. Lynn Freeman spoke to the director of The Crossroads, musician and music video producer Sani Sagala and Aaron Taouma who's producing this film.