Paul Jones Blues Show to be axed.

[Jazzrook]

I was dismayed to read that Paul Jones' Radio 2 Blues Show is to be taken off the air.
He's one of the best broadcasters on radio and having enjoyed listening to his programme for over 20 years will be sad to see it go.

JR

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

I agree he's certainly knowledgeable and personable but so much of that program reminded me a minstrel show that I gave up even checking it. Not wholly his fault as white people singing like they've just walked off a Alabama prison farm with dust pneumonia and then hitched the "Old M4 highway" before "losing their backdoor woman" and enduring "hard luck and Brexit" seems to be where the "blues " has ended up. Somewhat offensively.

And I speak as one who listened to Mike Raven's shows and Alex Korner's with pleasure.

Btw I once saw Paul Jones sing and play alto sax (ALTO!) at a Workers Revolutionary Party benefit concert c 1973. Or was I dreaming. Another country.

BN.

[french frank]

I was dismayed to read that Paul Jones' Radio 2 Blues Show is to be taken off the air.
He's one of the best broadcasters on radio and having enjoyed listening to his programme for over 20 years will be sad to see it go.

JR

This is the full announcement about the show from Radio 2:

'The weekly Blues, Jazz, Folk and Country specialist music shows will move one hour later to 8pm-9pm, every Monday to Thursday.

Cerys Matthews will join Radio 2 as the host of a new live blues show each Monday. Musician, author and broadcaster Cerys, whose BBC Radio 6 Music Sunday morning show (10am-1pm) has the highest single show listenership on the network - and who also hosts a monthly programme, BBC Music On The World Service With Cerys Matthews - takes over from Paul Jones, who will be leaving the network.

Paul Jones says: "I have loved playing tracks from the world of Rhythm & Blues on Radio 2 over the last 30-plus years. I'm very grateful to all my listeners (not least for their influence on the content of programmes) but it's time for me to hand over the baton - and I hope and believe Cerys will derive as much joy from the new show as I have until now." '

Cerys wants to thank Paul and adds: "To be able to play the music that inspires me on Radio 2 is a dream come true. I look forward to playing tracks by blues legends like Memphis Minnie, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins, Jo Ann Kelly and Peter Green, and bands like the Rolling Stones, the Groundhogs, White Stripes and Black Keys. Each week we'll dive into the vast archive of the BBC unearthing long lost gems and interviews, and we’ll also play some of the best new releases and emerging artists steeped in this genre, the cradle of jazz and rock ‘n roll.”

[Lat-Literal]

I was dismayed to read that Paul Jones' Radio 2 Blues Show is to be taken off the air.
He's one of the best broadcasters on radio and having enjoyed listening to his programme for over 20 years will be sad to see it go.

JR

This is the full announcement about the show from Radio 2:

'The weekly Blues, Jazz, Folk and Country specialist music shows will move one hour later to 8pm-9pm, every Monday to Thursday.

Cerys Matthews will join Radio 2 as the host of a new live blues show each Monday. Musician, author and broadcaster Cerys, whose BBC Radio 6 Music Sunday morning show (10am-1pm) has the highest single show listenership on the network - and who also hosts a monthly programme, BBC Music On The World Service With Cerys Matthews - takes over from Paul Jones, who will be leaving the network.

Paul Jones says: "I have loved playing tracks from the world of Rhythm & Blues on Radio 2 over the last 30-plus years. I'm very grateful to all my listeners (not least for their influence on the content of programmes) but it's time for me to hand over the baton - and I hope and believe Cerys will derive as much joy from the new show as I have until now." '

Cerys wants to thank Paul and adds: "To be able to play the music that inspires me on Radio 2 is a dream come true. I look forward to playing tracks by blues legends like Memphis Minnie, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins, Jo Ann Kelly and Peter Green, and bands like the Rolling Stones, the Groundhogs, White Stripes and Black Keys. Each week we'll dive into the vast archive of the BBC unearthing long lost gems and interviews, and we’ll also play some of the best new releases and emerging artists steeped in this genre, the cradle of jazz and rock ‘n roll.”

Not that I can be sure but I wouldn't anticipate radical change. Certainly it will not be wall to wall Stones and White Stripes with a bit of blues chucked in to appease the old crowd. That is because CM is hugely enthusiastic about proper blues and extremely knowledgeable. It's one of only two changes on R2 I can see that should not represent a serious step backwards.

[cloughie]

I agree he's certainly knowledgeable and personable but so much of that program reminded me a minstrel show that I gave up even checking it. Not wholly his fault as white people singing like they've just walked off a Alabama prison farm with dust pneumonia and then hitched the "Old M4 highway" before "losing their backdoor woman" and enduring "hard luck and Brexit" seems to be where the "blues " has ended up. Somewhat offensively.

And I speak as one who listened to Mike Raven's shows and Alex Korner's with pleasure.

Btw I once saw Paul Jones sing and play alto sax (ALTO!) at a Workers Revolutionary Party benefit concert c 1973. Or was I dreaming. Another country.

BN.

I also remember Alexis and Mike and they were excellent but Paul's knowledge is the equal of them and his programme always a joy to listen to. I think you are perhaps being a little hard on Paul who has for at least 55 years championed the blues and still put his harp and voice into it as good as anyone today. White boy blues in this country in the sixties did more to support black blues singers than most of their American counterparts. Yes Paul did do a bit of sax playing back in the 70s but I think he probably thought sticking to the harp was doing him more good. He his now well into his seventies and without knowing the circumstances of his departure, perhaps coming off air now suits him. Maybe Cerys will do a good job following in his footsteps - she seems to have a good following on 6R - I've not heard enough of her to mnow if she has the knowledge of the Blues but I guess she'll do her homework.

[cloughie]

Not that I can be sure but I wouldn't anticipate radical change. Certainly it will not be wall to wall Stones and White Stripes with a bit of blues chucked in to appease the old crowd. That is because CM is hugely enthusiastic about proper blues and extremely knowledgeable. It's one of only two changes on R2 I can see that should not represent a serious step backwards.

What's the other one Lat?

[Lat-Literal]

What's the other one Lat?

Gary Davies to replace Sara Cox on "Sounds of the '80s". Not that I am waving the flag for him but he is much better placed having been born in December 1957 rather than she was age wise, having been born in December 1974. He was, of course, a not especially remarkable daytime presenter on R1 in the early 1980s. She was just five when the 1980s began.

As an aside, I do have a very clear idea in my mind of the presenters who encapsulate 1980s music broadcasting - the ones who culturally were between Peel/Kershaw and the daytime crew. For someone who did the atrocious "Seaside Special", Peter Powell's teatime show was surprisingly spot on but he retired from presenting before turning 40 and he is now 66.

David Jensen and Richard Skinner are also in their mid/late 60s. Janice Long at 62 would have been an obvious contender but she might not be taken with the idea of fronting nostalgia and she probably has enough on her plate at the moment. The more mainstream Mark Goodier at 56 is a safe pair of hands who will fill in on radio shows if he feels that he wants to do so but he has other fish to fry. Jo Wiley at 52 could have done it but she might be a tad too young and more interested in the present, plus she is on the rise with a co-hosting semi-daytime slot. Arguably, the main man is Gary Crowley - at 56, he's ideally placed imo but maybe his working class London accent precludes him from anywhere but BBC Radio London.

[cloughie]

Gary Davies to replace Sara Cox on "Sounds of the '80s". Not that I am waving the flag for him but he is much better placed having been born in December 1957 rather than she was age wise, having been born in December 1974. He was, of course, a not especially remarkable daytime presenter on R1 in the early 1980s. She was just five when the 1980s began.

Not much interested in 80s - that was the beginning of a trend towards the not very good pop music we suffer today! Meanwhile the 60s on Saturday mornings is at 6.00am where they think it should be for ageing insomniacs and early risers! Even worse it is now hosted by Tony Blackburn who back in the day always appeared to be more interested in Tony Blackburn than in the music he played.

[antongould]

........... Even worse it is now hosted by Tony Blackburn who back in the day always appeared to be more interested in Tony Blackburn than in the music he played.

Oh well said that Wise Old Owl ........

[Lat-Literal]

Not much interested in 80s - that was the beginning of a trend towards the not very good pop music we suffer today! Meanwhile the 60s on Saturday mornings is at 6.00am where they think it should be for ageing insomniacs and early risers! Even worse it is now hosted by Tony Blackburn who back in the day always appeared to be more interested in Tony Blackburn than in the music he played.

As somebody said to me yesterday, with an eye on the new "'70s and More" commercial stations, the 1970s have become the new 1960s. I think presenters do matter in regard to these decade shows, especially if influential on content, and when the music in those decades was so diverse. Imagine Paul Jones presenting "Sounds of the 60s". It would be a very different programme from a Brian Matthew or Tony Blackburn one. A Tom Robinson "Sounds of the 1970s" would be a long way from Johnnie Walker's. With the 1980s, given I was "there" (that is, along with the 1970s generationally with half of the 1960s and the 1990s also representing my era), it is the same. That broad indie 80s crossover strand, much of which occasionally charted, is one thing and all of what was in the charts is quite another. With the blues and jazz and folk, it is rational to think that the presenter and his/her audience would not have been there for much of it with knowledge of all the nuances. Consequently, what one wants is a knowledgeable enthusiast of any age with a decent presenting style.

(To the above list I have now realised I could have added Mark Radcliffe on the 1980s or in theory even the 1970s and especially Stuart Maconie but clearly they are otherwise engaged)

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

I've got absolutely nothing against Paul Jones. He's very amiable and highly knowledgeable. It's the material he (or anyone else) has to deal with. And whilst "white blues" with all its absurd and posturing may have been just about acceptable (youthful enthusiasm) in the 1960s, and I was there for too much of it, frankly it's now just bloody embarrassing or deeply distasteful.

I vividly remember seeing Otis Rush, Junior Wells etc at the Albert Hall in 1968 and Eric Clapton and his entorage's late arrival in the upper seats getting as much applause as Otis in mid set! Who looked up very surprised. The rot set in early. Sorry, but It's a genre that's largely exhausted...

However Cerys is always worth a listen. She combines a musical curiosity with a critical edge. And she's Welsh. Like I used to be...

BN.

[Ian Thumwood]

I rarely ever listen to Radio 2 these days as I don't like the presentation style but, by chance, I heard a really weird programme on Radio 2 this week presented by Barry Humphries which was about British dance bands. I was amazed that this music would still be played on a national radio as there must be very few people still around who like this music. I always had a massive prejudice about British big bands and am largely unfamiliar with the music even if the names are well known to me. There is always a sense that these bands had little to do with jazz and therefore they were completely off the radio as far as I was concerned. What was interesting was that the music was far better played that I had imagined and, even if I did not care for the music, the arrangements in the selection were all well executed. In fact, some of the records were pretty decent performances and would have been on a par with some of the American groups and maybe superior to say many Territory bands.

It is very strange to hear a programme dedicated to these bands which were generally hated by the more jazz-inclined musicians of the day and ridiculed by contemporary jazz bands. Wind forward to 2018 and it is a bit unfair to criticise these bands for something they were not but it still staggered me that a programme like this could be broadcast on Radio 2 when local radio's treatment of big band music is more often wrapped up under the umbrella of "Nostalgia" and not given the credence that the jazz-orientated groups get.

I can see a similarity with the blues programme as this must seem extremely "niche" in 2018 yet I would strongly disagree with Bluesnik's comments as the current Blues scene is extremely vibrant. I actually go to quite a few Blues gigs in the year and the music is rich and varied from more Country / traditional artists like Eric Bibb through to bands like Tedeschi / Trucks which blend blues with jazz and soul to brilliant effect. Having seen Tedeschi / Trucks Band live, they are one of the best bands around at the moment to catch in concert. Whilst some of the old stalwarts like Buddy Guy are still around, there are plenty of lesser known Blues artists who do not suffer in comparison with the "greats." I really rate Lindsay Alexander and he is typical of what is produced by a still vibrant Chicago scene. There are literally 100's of decent Blues bands out there without the need to revert to playing records by bands like "White Stripes" and, unlike the Dance band oeuvre, this is not a nostalgia exercise. The negative perception of contemporary Blues depicted by Bluesnik is not my experience of hearing many stellar Blues artists perform live. Granted that there are plenty of British blues acts that might not sound "authentic" (think that's funny, try listening to someone singing the blues with a French accent!!) but the audience and thirst for this music is, in my experience, undiminished. Just like jazz, the Blues should not be a museum piece and I quite like musicians like Alexander who is capable of coming up with lines about "poking the Devil on Facebook" to get his point across. Players like Alexander are no less authentic than someone like Muddy Waters. Just because an artist does not record in Mono does not denigrate his music.

[Jazzrook]

I agree he's certainly knowledgeable and personable but so much of that program reminded me a minstrel show that I gave up even checking it. Not wholly his fault as white people singing like they've just walked off a Alabama prison farm with dust pneumonia and then hitched the "Old M4 highway" before "losing their backdoor woman" and enduring "hard luck and Brexit" seems to be where the "blues " has ended up. Somewhat offensively.

And I speak as one who listened to Mike Raven's shows and Alex Korner's with pleasure.

Btw I once saw Paul Jones sing and play alto sax (ALTO!) at a Workers Revolutionary Party benefit concert c 1973. Or was I dreaming. Another country.

BN.

I also enjoyed listening to Mike Raven & Alexis Korner but think Paul Jones more than equals their love and knowledge of the blues.
I suspect that there was pressure on Paul to water down the blues content of the show but he deserves credit for ensuring that a few genuine blues tracks were played each week.
Let's hope Cerys Matthews will carry on his good work.

"Can blue men sing the whites, or are they hypocrites?" (V. Stanshall).

JR

[Ian Thumwood]

I've got absolutely nothing against Paul Jones. He's very amiable and highly knowledgeable. It's the material he (or anyone else) has to deal with. And whilst "white blues" with all its absurd and posturing may have been just about acceptable (youthful enthusiasm) in the 1960s, and I was there for too much of it, frankly it's now just bloody embarrassing or deeply distasteful.

I vividly remember seeing Otis Rush, Junior Wells etc at the Albert Hall in 1968 and Eric Clapton and his entorage's late arrival in the upper seats getting as much applause as Otis in mid set! Who looked up very surprised. The rot set in early. Sorry, but It's a genre that's largely exhausted...

BN.

Wondered how much Blues you have listened to that has been recorded of late. The oeuvre is not dead and was never consistent anyway. Even if it's "heyday", the music ranged from Ma Rainey through to Bessie Smith who was very much a popular artist. This , in turn, influenced the rural communities who produced probably the music's mot potent recordings at a time of both ecological and economic distress. Of course the music sounds authentic and these were folk musicians singing about their own experiences. However, by the mid 30's musicians like Leroy Carr were producing a more popular and "urban" sound to the Blues which ultimately led to the R n' B of the late 40's which then gave birth to the Chicago electric blues. The music has always changed and I think it is a case of embracing this. Artists like Beth Hart may have influences in Rock and beyond jazz in to other musics yet her voice is unique and her work often very personal given her circumstances, etc.

To say that the "rot" set in with Clapton is absurd. A purist might argue that it set in with Leroy Carr when it evolved a slicker personality. Are you suggesting that Clapton can't play?

[Serial_Apologist]

I've got absolutely nothing against Paul Jones. He's very amiable and highly knowledgeable. It's the material he (or anyone else) has to deal with. And whilst "white blues" with all its absurd and posturing may have been just about acceptable (youthful enthusiasm) in the 1960s, and I was there for too much of it, frankly it's now just bloody embarrassing or deeply distasteful.

I vividly remember seeing Otis Rush, Junior Wells etc at the Albert Hall in 1968 and Eric Clapton and his entorage's late arrival in the upper seats getting as much applause as Otis in mid set! Who looked up very surprised. The rot set in early. Sorry, but It's a genre that's largely exhausted...

However Cerys is always worth a listen. She combines a musical curiosity with a critical edge. And she's Welsh. Like I used to be...

BN.

I have no doubt that Sonny Boy Williamson was completely sincere in the gratitude he expressed towards the Yardbirds as his acting backing band when he came over here in '63 (I think) - and that this reflected the music's status in the States outwith the ghettos. Something can be said for the oft made assertion that Clapton & co introduced America to its own greatest music. At a time when racism was the norm it shouldn't (imv) be dismissed that young working class Brits in the late 50s/early 60s such as Eric Burden found identity with American blacks through their music, and also through acquainting them ashore in pubs in ports like Liverpool and Newcastle where recordings otherwise unavailable here were handed over. Notwithstanding friendly differences I had with a Jamaican friend over qualities specific to black singers rarely found in white singers, ("You're not telling me you could tell Moira Stuart was black just by hearing her speak?" he would tell me), very few of our lads and lasses were able to reproduce those timbral qualities. Julie Driscoll (as she was) was the only one I can think of whose recorded voice bamboozled any black person I've known. This inability to reproduce the "black vocal sound" - remembering that this was a time when especially non-black non-American would be's thought of themselves as at best imitators of something they knew had been purloined, going all the way back to the black and white Swing bands in the States - gave impetus to the more improvisational approach to blues that led to Fusion by way of bands like Cream and Brian Auger's Trinity, not forgetting Hendrix, of course!