Mary Lou Williams 18-22 November

[doversoul1]

It was a sort of jazz I listened to a lot in my youth. How come I never heard of her then?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000bdx0

[LMcD]

Congratulations to Donald MacLeod and colleagues for another excellent CoTW, followed by what sounds like yet another fascinating Lunchtime Concert. An increasing proportion of my Radio 3 listening seems to be concentrated on the noon - 2 p.m. period.

[Quarky]

It was a sort of jazz I listened to a lot in my youth. How come I never heard of her then?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000bdx0

You're not alone. I had heard of her, but knew very little of her musical output. Congrats to R3!

I may be sticking my neck out, but the recent programming changes have brought about a distinct improvement in Radio 3 output, imv of course.

[Serial_Apologist]

You're not alone. I had heard of her, but knew very little of her musical output. Congrats to R3!

I may be sticking my neck out, but the recent programming changes have brought about a distinct improvement in Radio 3 output, imv of course.

Apart from the morning schedules, imv of course.

[johncorrigan]

You're not alone. I had heard of her, but knew very little of her musical output. Congrats to R3!

I may be sticking my neck out, but the recent programming changes have brought about a distinct improvement in Radio 3 output, imv of course.

I heard this today while in the car, Quarky. I will definitely be going back to hear the rest of the week's programmes. I thought the music was absolutely terrific - not sure I had ever knowingly heard of Mary Lou Williams before - I have now.

[Serial_Apologist]

I heard this today while in the car, Quarky. I will definitely be going back to hear the rest of the week's programmes. I thought the music was absolutely terrific - not sure I had ever knowingly heard of Mary Lou Williams before - I have now.

Discovering jazz is rather like entering the Tardis: from the outside it may seem a small and rather neglected building with a tiny entrance door; once inside, you will find a palace of innumerable wonders, John!

[teamsaint]

I heard this today while in the car, Quarky. I will definitely be going back to hear the rest of the week's programmes. I thought the music was absolutely terrific - not sure I had ever knowingly heard of Mary Lou Williams before - I have now.

Change “ today “ for “ yesterday” and thats the post I was going to er, post, JC.

[Richard Tarleton]

I greatly enjoyed what I heard of this week's programmes.

[Serial_Apologist]

It was a sort of jazz I listened to a lot in my youth. How come I never heard of her then?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000bdx0

For one thing, Mary was a woman - in jazz women traditionally didn't get much of a look-in unless they were singers. Apart from a select few, things didn't really begin to change in that regard until the 1980s, which would have been just a few years after your youth, dovers.

[teamsaint]

Discovering jazz is rather like entering the Tardis: from the outside it may seem a small and rather neglected building; inside you will find a palace of innumerable wonders, John!

And all that playing around with time......


Anyway, I often feel a bit guilty that I am enjoying it ( some jazz or other) without really ” understanding “ it.

[johncorrigan]

Discovering jazz is rather like entering the Tardis: from the outside it may seem a small and rather neglected building with a tiny entrance door; once inside, you will find a palace of innumerable wonders, John!

To be honest, S_A, it was because it was jazz that I stayed for a listen. I would more likely have moved on if it had been classical; though I do like Donald MacLeod.

[Quarky]

Apart from the morning schedules, imv of course.

Agreed. But I do enjoy Petroc Trelawny, at least before 8 am; after 8am the emphasis changes.

[doversoul1]

And all that playing around with time......


Anyway, I often feel a bit guilty that I am enjoying it ( some jazz or other) without really ” understanding “ it.

When or in what state of mind do you think you can say ‘I understand it’ about a work of jazz? This is obviously a very personal thing but I remember trying very hard to ‘understand’ what I was listening in my youth (long before the 1980s, S-A ) when I was carrying a copy of progressive weekly magazine and going along with Jazz enthusiasts. I would make ‘right’ comments but didn’t really feel I was ‘understanding’ it. And one day, I was just hearing Oscar Peterson’s Canadian Suite when I fell through into it. The difference between then and before was just like standing on this side of a glass window looking in and being inside. Looking back now, I think I fell through when I wasn't trying to put the music into words.

[teamsaint]

When or in what state of mind do you think you can say ‘I understand it’ about a work of jazz? This is obviously a very personal thing but I remember trying very hard to ‘understand’ what I was listening in my youth (long before the 1980s, S-A ) when I was carrying a copy of progressive weekly magazine and going along with Jazz enthusiasts. I would make ‘right’ comments but didn’t really feel I was ‘understanding’ it. And one day, I was just hearing Oscar Peterson’s Canadian Suite when I fell through into it. The difference between then and before was just like standing on this side of a glass window looking in and being inside. Looking back now, I think I fell through when I stopped trying to put the music into words.

Ah yes, putting things into words that aren’t words.....even just inside the head. The problem too many of us have with maths ?

[johncorrigan]

I knew I had seen her name before but couldn't recall where and then tonight I remembered that Mary Lou was one of R. Crumb's 'Heroes of Jazz'.

http://rcrumb.blogspot.com/2012/05/robert-crumbs-early-hot-jazz-greats.html

By the way, listened to episode one this evening - really enjoyed it!