Casting lots

[Serial_Apologist]

Sat 21 May
4.00 Jazz Record Requests
Alyn Shipton draws on music from across a broad spectrum of jazz, highlighting more listeners' requests and showcasing the skills of New Orleans clarinetist Tony Parenti (1900-72)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07bv9gz

But I bet you'll all be watching the Cup Final.

5.00 Jazz Line-Up
Julian Joseph presents a solo performance by singer and pianist Ian Shaw, recorded last month at the Gateshead Jazz Festival. Shaw's repertoire features a version of David Bowie's Life On Mars? and music by Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell. He also discusses working and touring with Bowie, and the humanitarian work he is currently involved in at the "Jungle" migrant encampment in Calais

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07bv9h1

Welsh jazz's answer to Tom Jones is not really my cuppa, but good on him I say!

12.00 Geoffrey Smith's Jazz
Bebop's tenor kings Dexter Gordon (1923-90) and Wardell Gray (1921-55) were known for their saxophone duels. Geoffrey Smith recalls those thrilling encounters and their later individual careers, mared by battles with drugs. Repeat

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03kp1bw

Monday 23 May
11.00 Jazz Now
Soweto Kinch presents the UK premiere of Julian Arguelles's suite of South African-inspired music Let It Be Told, performed by Steve Arguelles, Django Bates and Frankfurt Big Band

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07c3r64

Also.....
Radio 4
Thurs 26 May
11.30 am Blue Canvas: The Artist Miles Davis
Miles Davis observed that "a painting is music you can see, and music is a painting you can hear". And in later life the jazz trumpeter dedicated himself to painting with the same fervent energy that he had devoted to music. On the 25th anniversary of Davis's death, his partner during his final years, Jo Gelbard, tells the story of a less well-known side to one of the 20th century's greatest creative geniuses

[Old Grumpy]

Ian Shaw's set at the Gateshead International Jazz Festival was very good - I particularly enjoyed Life on Mars?

Arguelles' take on the music of South Africa should be worth a listen to. I remember seeing District Six years ago at a sports hall in Washington (CD, not DC). In those days Washington new town still had numbered districts. The band commented on the irony of this is respect of their name!

OG

[Serial_Apologist]

I wonder if Alyn's changed his blog address....

Edit: I'vd changed the JRR link to the official beeb one.

Pedant's point: "Freedom Jazz Dance" was actually recorded on October 24, 1966 - ahem.

[Alyn_Shipton]

Blog now updated with this week's playlist - just a reminder I do this in my spare time - and now the BBC has rediscovered how to put up the "old" style playlist as well as the abominable playlister I feel it is a bit less pressing to ensure this is always done on my site ahead of transmission. Will continue to try to do so, however.

[Serial_Apologist]

Blog now updated with this week's playlist - just a reminder I do this in my spare time - and now the BBC has rediscovered how to put up the "old" style playlist as well as the abominable playlister I feel it is a bit less pressing to ensure this is always done on my site ahead of transmission. Will continue to try to do so, however.

Many thanks Alyn - I really did wonder; busy man that you must be, please don't feel obligated, though it is always much appreciated.

[Jazzrook]

I wonder if Alyn's changed his blog address....

Edit: I'vd changed the JRR link to the official beeb one.

Pedant's point: "Freedom Jazz Dance" was actually recorded on October 24, 1966 - ahem.

S_A Just to be clear my request for 'Freedom Jazz Dance' did state 'recorded 50 years ago THIS YEAR' as Alyn said.

Hope the JRR playlist will still be available ahead of the programme.

JR

[Serial_Apologist]

S_A Just to be clear my request for 'Freedom Jazz Dance' did state 'recorded 50 years ago THIS YEAR' as Alyn said.

Hope the JRR playlist will still be available ahead of the programme.

JR

My mistake - I was looking at the BBC listing.

[Serial_Apologist]

Does anyone else have problems over ian Shaw's manner of singing? I find him to be an imitation black Gospel-type singer, and a bit posy, though his piano playing's all right (I know, it sounds like Red Dwight, I know!), and doff my hat to his work in Calais. It seems outside the genuine tradition of Blues singers there's this problem for me with male jazzers in general: between the exaggerations of Mr Shaw and the faux-cutesyness of the late Richard Rodney Bennett, outside the pointedly out (Phil Minton giving Beatles interpretations with Westy's big band) there must surely be a happy medium somewhere? Mark Murphy? Come to think of it, of the guys who aren't pretending to be American (which surely is so passe) I do like Cleveland Watkiss, who really can scat in an original way.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Does anyone else have problems over ian Shaw's manner of singing? I find him to be an imitation black Gospel-type singer, and a bit posy, though his piano playing's all right (I know, it sounds like Red Dwight, I know!), and doff my hat to his work in Calais. It seems outside the genuine tradition of Blues singers there's this problem for me with male jazzers in general: between the exaggerations of Mr Shaw and the faux-cutesyness of the late Richard Rodney Bennett, outside the pointedly out (Phil Minton giving Beatles interpretations with Westy's big band) there must surely be a happy medium somewhere? Mark Murphy? Come to think of it, of the guys who aren't pretending to be American (which surely is so passe) I do like Cleveland Watkiss, who really can scat in an original way.

I know what you mean. There's an "actorly" or stagey way of singing that came out of Mark Murphy that I also find hard to take. As for the blues, white people adopting a faux Son House voice and singing about hitting Highway 45 are not just absurd but near b/w minstrel racist. Once it was enthusiasm now it's insulting. (Paul Jones blues show).

As was said about BrianJones in the early 60s...."He going to catch that old Grayhound bus...to Cheltenham".

BN.

[Old Grumpy]

Does anyone else have problems over ian Shaw's manner of singing? I find him to be an imitation black Gospel-type singer, and a bit posy, though his piano playing's all right (I know, it sounds like Red Dwight, I know!), and doff my hat to his work in Calais. It seems outside the genuine tradition of Blues singers there's this problem for me with male jazzers in general: between the exaggerations of Mr Shaw and the faux-cutesyness of the late Richard Rodney Bennett, outside the pointedly out (Phil Minton giving Beatles interpretations with Westy's big band) there must surely be a happy medium somewhere? Mark Murphy? Come to think of it, of the guys who aren't pretending to be American (which surely is so passe) I do like Cleveland Watkiss, who really can scat in an original way.

Yes, I do like Ian Shaw (as you might expect from my previous post!).

How about Kurt Elling?

I see he is joining with the Branford Marsalis Quartet on a CD to be released in soon. Could be interesting. Branford Marsalis was on In Tune on Friday Evening ahead of his short Solo UK tour. Worth a listen.

OG

[Alyn_Shipton]

Branford was on Jazz Now 3 weeks ago talking to Soweto about the solo tour and with excerpts of the forthcoming album with Kurt. I am slightly surprised virtually no posts suggest anyone listens to the new show- does anyone? A better experience than listening to Mark Murphy who - to my ears - was consistently out of tune....

[Old Grumpy]

Branford was on Jazz Now 3 weeks ago talking to Soweto about the solo tour and with excerpts of the forthcoming album with Kurt. I am slightly surprised virtually no posts suggest anyone listens to the new show- does anyone?

Yep, but usually on catch-up - it's too late for me!

Enjoy the bits I've heard. Vast improvement on J on 3 (IMV, anyway!).

OG

[Quarky]

Branford was on Jazz Now 3 weeks ago talking to Soweto about the solo tour and with excerpts of the forthcoming album with Kurt. I am slightly surprised virtually no posts suggest anyone listens to the new show- does anyone? A better experience than listening to Mark Murphy who - to my ears - was consistently out of tune....

Jazz Now is one of my favourite programmes. I enjoy Soweto and Emma, and most of the stuff that gets presented. A lady friend put her foot down about Snake- Oil, and Soweto, for all his musical talents, I would not rate as an interviewer. He ought to highlight the views of the person (Branford) being interviewed, rather than arguing with him if views don't accord with his own. But the following week, he did a brilliant rap performance.

As regards Jazz singers, scat is not my thing, and I must admit I have gone off them with a vengeance - that is Ian Shaw, Kurt Elling, Mark Murphy etc.. But then I'm currently listening to nothing but Maria Cristina Kiehr, who is an early European music specialist.

[PUSB]

Completely agree it is a vast improvement on Jazz on 3. Think Soweto Kinch needs time to settle down but seems much more genuinely into the music rather than posing.

[Serial_Apologist]

Jazz Now is one of my favourite programmes. I enjoy Soweto and Emma, and most of the stuff that gets presented. A lady friend put her foot down about Snake- Oil, and Soweto, for all his musical talents, I would not rate as an interviewer. He ought to highlight the views of the person (Branford) being interviewed, rather than arguing with him if views don't accord with his own. But the following week, he did a brilliant rap performance.

Don't agree with you about the interviewer being required not to disagree with the interviewee: that's only permissible under dictatorships! Disagreement offers alternatives and is fine so long as it doesn't turn into an obfusticating, interruptions-dominating John Humphrys/Andrew Neil-style power trip on behalf of the presenter class.

As regards Jazz singers, scat is not my thing, and I must admit I have gone off them with a vengeance - that is Ian Shaw, Kurt Elling, Mark Murphy etc.. But then I'm currently listening to nothing but Maria Cristina Kiehr, who is an early European music specialist.

Trad, is she??