Witter on, fellow Cotton Pickers: Fly Me to the M6

[Serial_Apologist]

Sat Sept 1
5.30pm - Jazz Record Requests
Alyn Shipton with the full spectrum of listeners' jazz requests, today including recordings by McKinney's Cotton Pickers and the John Kirby Sextet.

Note start times changes.

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

6.30pm - J to Z
Julian Joseph with further highlights from a concert by American trumpeter Eddie Henderson and his quartet, recorded in May at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00008rh

12midnight - Geoffrey Smith's Jazz
Geoffrey Smith plays September-related music, from George Shearing and Dizzy Gillespie to Sarah Vaughan and Woody Herman.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mdgj0

Mon Sept 3
11pm - Jazz Now
Al Ryan presents a special edition from Soweto Kinch's Flyover Show in Birmingham, with music from artists including Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Zara McFarlane and Blue Lab Beats.

The last, the Last of the Blairites?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000097p

[Ian Thumwood]

There has been some staggering stuff on JRR tonight and good to hear some bands / musicians who deserve wider recognition being requested. I love the McKCP track with the shout chorus featuring the three clarinets opposed by the brass. It is an amazingly exciting track and it was good to hear John Nesbitt get a name check. For me he is one of jazz's unsung heroes, not only worthy for being one of the few black jazz musicians influenced by Bix but also as one of the more important arrangers in the late 1920's. His arrangements for this band often eclipse those written by Don Redman and there is also a tremendous arrangement of "China town, my china town" he wrote for Fletcher Henderson. I believe that the tuba player Ralph Escudero was one of the first Latin musicians to play in a jazz group. The band's line up reads like a who's who of jazz in the 1920s and , after it's heyday, included a young Wardell Grey in the line up.

The other musician I was pleased to hear mentioned was Clyde Hart. I just find him to be about the most mysterious musician in jazz, cropping up on some seminal records with the likes of Parker as well as Coleman Hawkins' "Chocolate Dandies" sides. Had he not died early from TB in early 1945 he would have become a major name in be-bop. I suppose he fulfils a role in jazz rather akin to Charlie Christian on guitar.

The Parker track was a revelation. I was not aware if it but it was strange to hear him play in a small group that was resolutely in a swing tradition. I really enjoyed that track and found it fascinating. I never knew it existed and was glad someone requested it. JRR is best when you hear stuff that you either don't know or when people request stuff that needs to be brought to the attention of a wider audience.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

The Parker was fascinating, hints perhaps of what was to come, when you know what came. "Ko Ko" just over the horizon which is still to me one of the most breathtaking recordings in all jazz. I still wonder at the impact of THAT over the then airways. Nice to hear Jackie too. My first McLean Bluenote vinyl import way back then.

[eighthobstruction]

....all very dreary and uninspiring to these ears....no matter how fascinating....'staggering' I would agree with....