VAL WILMER R3 Sunday 18.45

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Not before time...

Portrait of Val Wilmer
Sunday Feature, BBC R3 18.45

Jazz writer, social historian, acclaimed photographer: over six decades, Val Wilmer has become "a world figure in the history of African-American musical culture". What drives her?

In 1956, Valerie Wilmer - aged 14 - took a snap at London Airport of a grinning Louis Armstrong. Thus began a remarkable career that has brought her close up to almost every significant figure in post-war jazz, blues and R&B.

Her books, articles and photographs delve deep into the minds, lives and politics of jazz's most famous exponents - John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus - as well as countless unrecognised men and women who have shaped African-American culture since the 1950s.

How does she reveal the intimate humanity of her subjects? How, "as a white woman, as an English woman!", has she gained such trust and respect? What makes her "a world figure" in the history of Black music?

Val Wilmer is a woman with remarkable stories to tell. Here, for BBC Radio 3, she brings her encounters and recollections vividly to life... and shares her strong views on racism, feminism, and responsible journalism.

Includes contributions from Margaret Busby (publisher and co-founder of Allison & Busby), Paul Gilroy (writer and academic), Richard Williams (journalist and biographer), Andrew Cyrille (musician and drummer), and Clive Wilmer (poet, and brother of Val).

Producer: Steve Urquhart
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 3.

[Serial_Apologist]

Much looking forward to this, thanks for the reminder Bluesie. Quite a formidable woman!

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Much looking forward to this, thanks for the reminder Bluesie. Quite a formidable woman!

I liked the trail where she said that when she was a young girl getting into jazz, record shop staff would look at her and say, "The Beverley Sisters, Dear?"

[Serial_Apologist]

I liked the trail where she said that when she was a young girl getting into jazz, record shop staff would look at her and say, "The Beverley Sisters, Dear?"

You will remember Dobells in Charing Cross Rd back in the '60s: the staff in there would be quite intimidating if you looked like a novice, regardless of gender. I bought my copy of "Coltrane Plays the Blues" there. You could trial the record in one of the booths they had at the right hand far end of the premises. My copy had been thoroughly "ploughed". In retrospect I should have taken it back & asked for an undamaged copy, but such was the aura hanging about the place, Ronnie or whoever being likely to be popping in, that one didn't... Not surprising jazz became a minority thing, given the legendary status and respect afforded to that place at that time.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

I bought Mingus's Blues and Roots there on Atlantic import (expensive) on a day up from Wales to London. And because it pouring with rain I had bought one of those cheap '60s Bob Dylan "Huck Finn" corduroy caps from a stall. The guy said to me very dismissively, "thought you'd be more interested in the folk stuff than this".

The cheek.

[Serial_Apologist]

I bought Mingus's Blues and Roots there on Atlantic import (expensive) on a day up from Wales to London. And because it pouring with rain I had bought one of those cheap '60s Bob Dylan "Huck Finn" corduroy caps from a stall. The guy said to me very dismissively, "thought you'd be more interested in the folk stuff than this".

The cheek.

Reminds me of back in the days of the Teds. Our local barber advertised two main categories of haircut: short or medium back-and-sides - 2/-, and Tony Curtis with DA - 2/6. In the window were all the latest styles, crewcuts, college cuts, quiffs and so on. The bloke said he couldn't do me one of those as I had the wrong kind of hair, but he liked the leather jacket I was wearing and asked where I'd bought my belt. At the end he charged me 2/6 for an ordinary medium back-and-sides - I was only 14!

[elmo]

You will remember Dobells in Charing Cross Rd back in the '60s: the staff in there would be quite intimidating if you looked like a novice, regardless of gender. I bought my copy of "Coltrane Plays the Blues" there. You could trial the record in one of the booths they had at the right hand far end of the premises. My copy had been thoroughly "ploughed". In retrospect I should have taken it back & asked for an undamaged copy, but such was the aura hanging about the place, Ronnie or whoever being likely to be popping in, that one didn't... Not surprising jazz became a minority thing, given the legendary status and respect afforded to that place at that time.

SA

Yes the Dobell's staff were intimidating, I went in one day in the 60's wearing a Regency style jacket ( I was a bit of a poser in those days) and taking my Billie Holiday album to the counter I was told " yeah gays all like Lady Day" only it was said with far less PC terminology - I am not normally lost for words but that day I paid my 32/6 and walked out.

elmo

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Good programme with the reservation that I wish they had let her talk more, rather than talking heads talking ABOUT her. Paul Gilroy for example. Not sure if they felt the need to "legitimise" her, if so, it's hugely ironic. She's fascinating and there is so much there. And her head first turned to jazz by Ray Charles and "Sinners Prayer". Way to go...

BN.

[Serial_Apologist]

Good programme with the reservation that I wish they had let her talk more, rather than talking heads talking ABOUT her. Paul Gilroy for example. Not sure if they felt the need to "legitimise" her, if so, it's hugely ironic. She's fascinating and there is so much there. And her head first turned to jazz by Ray Charles and "Sinners Prayer". Way to go...

BN.

The only time I spoke to Val was in the queue waiting to go in to a Louis Moholo gig at the 100 Club. The magnitude of her reputation preceded her and I was a bit lost for words, but having just listened to the programme, which I thought was excellent and probably gave her about the amount of room she would have wanted, being overawed was misconstrued. I loved the story - having experienced something similar with my father - about Mingus's visit to their home, her mother's uncomfortable response to the informal meal situation and later admission over this when on her deathbed. If Val's got the chronology of that visit to Streatham right, it would have been the year 1961 when Mingus was over to participate in the film "All Night Long", and she would have been 18 0r 19 at the time. Like so much of the black and white cops 'n' robbers B movie fare of that time modern jazz was associated with dodgy urban types and their lifestyles: nevertheless the fact its scenario and plot amount to pretentious fantasy takes nothing away from the characters of the jazz people shining through their lack of acting abilities, and I am glad I have it in my collection.

[Jazzrook]

An audience with Val Wilmer at the Café Oto:

https://www.thewire.co.uk/audio/in-conversation/the-wire-salon-an-audience-with-val-wilmer

JR

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Thanks for the Wire/Otto link. Vastly better than the R3 profile, although I guess different audiences. She's very moving on the South. A remarkable woman.

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks for the Wire/Otto link. Vastly better than the R3 profile, although I guess different audiences. She's very moving on the South. A remarkable woman.

Thanks from me too, JR.