Now that Monteverdi, he pioneered Baroque 'n' Roll, man.

[Serial_Apologist]

Sat 13 May
4.00 Jazz Record Requests
Alyn Shipton showcases a 1934 recording of Mildred Bailey's Junk Man, prompted by a listener's recent request for a different version of the same tune.

http://www.alynshipton.co.uk/blog

5.00 Jazz Line-Up
Kevin Le Gendre introduces a performance by Austrian virtuoso hang-drum player Manu Delago and his trio, recorded at BBC Scotland's Pacific Quay studios. Delago is joined by violinist and vocalist Isa Kurz, and percussionist Chris Norz.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08q2wd5

12.00 Geoffrey Smith's Jazz
Geoffrey Smith celebrates the group performances of Ohio-born jazz pianist Art Tatum (1909-56), featuring fellow jazz stars Benny Carter, Ben Webster and Big Joe Turner.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08pwqnf

Mon 15 May
11.00 Jazz Now
Monteverdi 450. Al Ryan talks to Michael Wollny, Richie Beirach and other musicians involved in the Spirit of Monteverdi Jazz album. PLus Soweto Kinch presents saxophonist Marius Neset in concert from last month's Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08pwz2w

[Old Grumpy]

Good to hear Kevin LeGendre in full presenter role on JLU - hope this continues. I have always enjoyed his interviews.

Just lurv the sound of that hang, man!

[Serial_Apologist]

Good to hear Kevin LeGendre in full presenter role on JLU - hope this continues. I have always enjoyed his interviews.

Just lurv the sound of that hang, man!

The jazz side of R3 music broadcasting is as I'm concerned currently blessed with some of the best presenters it's had since Charles Fox, with Kevin le G, and Soweto on Mondays, setting an example which the rest of the network should live up to in assumed expectation that classical music listeners are as capable of being in receipt of sophisticated in-depth information as we are, and want to find out more. Geoffrey Smith also does a reliable job, and I shall be looking forward to his choice of Art Tatum groups tonight, some of my favourite Late Swing recordings.

[Jazzrook]

Good to hear Kevin LeGendre in full presenter role on JLU - hope this continues. I have always enjoyed his interviews.

Just lurv the sound of that hang, man!

Kevin Le Gendre is an excellent and knowledgeable presenter. Let's hope it's permanent - he could transform JLU.

JR

[Old Grumpy]

Kevin Le Gendre is an excellent and knowledgeable presenter. Let's hope it's permanent - he could transform JLU.

JR

Quite agree. I'm sure I heard Alyn say on JRR one week that Claire Martin was leaving JLU - so perhaps we will hear more of K LeG.

OG

Edit: I did - JRR 15/04/17

[Quarky]

5.00 Jazz Line-Up
Kevin Le Gendre introduces a performance by Austrian virtuoso hang-drum player Manu Delago and his trio, recorded at BBC Scotland's Pacific Quay studios. Delago is joined by violinist and vocalist Isa Kurz, and percussionist Chris Norz.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08q2wd5

Mon 15 May
11.00 Jazz Now
Monteverdi 450. Al Ryan talks to Michael Wollny, Richie Beirach and other musicians involved in the Spirit of Monteverdi Jazz album. PLus Soweto Kinch presents saxophonist Marius Neset in concert from last month's Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08pwz2w

Manu Delago seems a genuinely novel innovator. My lady friend was most impressed, and is following him up.

I will listen to Jazz Now with interest, but Monteverdi seems a bit of a wide stretch, so I am prepared for a disaster.

[Serial_Apologist]

Manu Delago seems a genuinely novel innovator. My lady friend was most impressed, and is following him up.

I will listen to Jazz Now with interest, but Monteverdi seems a bit of a wide stretch, so I am prepared for a disaster.

Indeed, Oddball. Hence my "ironic" title for the thread.

[Ian Thumwood]

Good to hear Kevin LeGendre in full presenter role on JLU - hope this continues. I have always enjoyed his interviews.

Just lurv the sound of that hang, man!

I caught the tale end of the interview and the last track with the violin and timpani. The comments made by Delago made me fear the worst. Whenever I hear a musician make some kid of statement about "the kind of jazz that I like best is by those musicians who are open minded and do not want to be confined by any definition of jazz" I know that what is going to follow is some sub-ECM kind of twaddle that is effectively tonal Classical music with an element of improvisation. The result last night was predictable and I was surprised by Le Gendre's attitude. He gave Delago a really easy ride and Le Gendre was so far up this musician's backside it was an embarrassment.

Usually Le Gendre's assessment is pretty spot on but I felt the music would have been better on a programme like "Mixing it" or "Late Junction" and not a jazz programme. It was pretty lightweight.

Jazz Line Up has had a tortuous history and , I think, reflects the current issues in jazz. The last track summed up the differences regardless of it's parochial nature. It seemed really old fashioned , a bit like someone older trying to get down with the kids. However, I think it had far more to do with Jazz than the Delago stuff which will certainly appeal to a younger audience. It is a massive problem, I feel and giving artists like Delago a voice is undermining a lot of the more traditional elements of jazz - whether we are talking Wynton or William Parker.

There was a brilliant article on the All About Jazz website this week in which a book about Free Improvisation was reviewed.

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-free-musics-by-jack-wright-ornette-coleman-by-daniel-barbiero.php

It is quite thought provoking insofar that is alludes to interest in Free music reaching a sort of climax in 2008. This isn't too far from the truth if you think about the likes of Ken Vandermark and his cohorts as well as the likes of William Parker, etc who seemed to be on a role around that time. I feel that it isn't just the earlier styles of jazz that seem under attack ( and by this I mean anything up to Miles 2nd Quintet) but even the avant garde seems to be neglected in favour of this kind of New Age noodling. I am not convinced that the likes of Delago are anything other than a distraction but this kind of stuff is getting increasing coverage in the music media and marginalising purer elements of jazz. Sprry, but I don't understand the appeal. I would have preferred Manu Dibango instead !!

[Alyn_Shipton]

Ian, I couldn't possibly comment...

[Serial_Apologist]

The Allaboutjazz link Ian referred to is interesting in its observances on free musics, suggesting as it does that a lot of what the author sees as recent developments can be traced back much further on this side of the Pond, and I would think this to be mistaken if one considers the early experiments of Cecil Taylor, on the one hand, and of the AACM on the other, the latter in particular with regards to what he calls "lower case improvisation", which connects with various stages during the course of the SME. But I'd like to have another read of it before commenting further, maybe.

[Quarky]

I caught the tale end of the interview and the last track with the violin and timpani.

Have you had a chance to listen to the entire programme as yet, Ian? First half certainly better.

To be fair to Manu, he does not advertise himself as a Jazz musician (..."Jazz is one of the things that inspired me"....) But I certainly found the discussion of the Hang instrument interesting.

Free Jazz more often played on Jazz Now, I believe.

[Ian Thumwood]

Oddball

I haven't listened to the I-player but it is hugely strange that this kind f music was featured. I would have thought that the whole idea of a jazz programme was for the presenters to feature jazz?

This kind of stuff is really symptomatic of where the music is at the moment. It seems that if musicians are judged to be "free-thinking" or "open minded" because they are "inspired" by jazz, they get more kudos that anyone who describes their music as resolutely jazz. It is almost as if jazz is become a stranger at it's own party. I don't mind listening to other types of music and have an eclectic taste myself. There is practically 100 years of recorded jazz to choose from and this varies in a multitude of styles. Surely there is sufficient music out there to fill a programme and kick Delago's music in to the Late Junction long turf?

If you are going to feature jazz-related music, how come the Blues never get featured on Radio 3? Is this deemed to "pop orientated" or somehow not serious enough ? To me, it is bizarre that someone playing a hang can get more kudos than the contemporary blues scene if and when the presenters choose to deviate from a more orthodox programme. Granted, Jazz is a broad church but I feel music likes Delago's is increasingly encroaching in the jazz media , jazz websites and programmes like Jazz Line Up. It is interesting to see where this will ultimately lead and whether the whole gamut of jazz will end up as being as niche as someone like Anthony Braxton and "fringe" acts get the nod in the media.

I would be curious to learn what proportion of the audience switch off after JRR or at least see some demographic of the change in listener profile. JRR is the last refuge on Radio of so much of the jazz repertoire these days. I appreciate programmes like "Jazz Now" are imperative to cover the contemporary scene, but Jazz Line Up is too much of a mish-mash to garner a regular following.

[Old Grumpy]

Have you had a chance to listen to the entire programme as yet, Ian? First half certainly better.

To be fair to Manu, he does not advertise himself as a Jazz musician (..."Jazz is one of the things that inspired me"....) But I certainly found the discussion of the Hang instrument interesting.

Free Jazz more often played on Jazz Now, I believe.

Well, I for one, like this stuff, jazz or not jazz.

Free improv, on the other hand, usually makes me switch straight off!

OG

[Quarky]

Indeed, Oddball. Hence my "ironic" title for the thread.

There IS a connection between Monteverdi and Jazz - Ground Bass and Bass Riff - see Donald Mcleod, last 10 minutes of today's (Thursday) COTW.

Must say I am hugely enjoying Monteverdi this week. Not just a writer of religious works, but his music very pleasant on the ear.

By the way I heard that Jon Hendricks is now 95 but still going strong. One of the best Jazz singers in my book:

In 2017, Hendricks' full lyricization of the album Miles Ahead, including Miles Davis' solos and Gil Evans' orchestrations, was completed. It was premiered in New York by UK-based choir the London Vocal Project, with Hendricks in attendance, with a studio recording to follow.

[Old Grumpy]

There IS a connection between Monteverdi and Jazz - Ground Bass and Bass Riff - see Donald Mcleod, last 10 minutes of today's (Thursday) COTW.

Good point OB. I heard that too.

OG