Speake low - there's Art with a Capitol K in it

[Serial_Apologist]

Sat 29 Feb
5pm - J to Z
Jumoké Fashola presents a session by UK saxophonist Martin Speake's International Quartet, who re-create the melodies and inventive solo flights of their latest release, Intention, alongside new material. And drummer Tony Allen shares his musical inspirations, reflects on his time creating Afrobeat with Fela Kuti, and talks about meeting his hero, US jazz drummer Art Blakey.

Martin's IQ is a re-uniting with the now ex-Bad Plus pianist Ethan Iverson, plus US drummer Jeff Williams and our own Calum Gourlay on bass.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000g2vk

10pm - New Music Show
Just to mention the first item, as it features Matana Roberts.

12midnight - Freeness
Corey Mwamba with the cream of improvisation including a chance piece for a new-music chamber ensemble in which a roll of the dice determines how many times to play certain materials and which path through the score to take, recorded last September at the BrassWind Festival in Bergen in Norway. There's also freewheeling avant-blues from Kim Macari's Family Band and an abstract take on a British church hymn by saxophonist Guido Spannochi and Capitol K.

"You got plenty time to shake your dice when you get old, man" - Miles Davis.

"Sounds pretty dicey to me" - John Cage.

"Best to keep it in the family" - Prince Andrew.

"Chance would be a fine thing" - Dot Cotton, EastEnders.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000g2vr

Sun 1 March
4pm - Jazz Record Requests

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

Next week's Composer of the Week affords a rare chance to discover all about the African-American composer Florence Price (1887-1953) and her music. Tune in at 12 noon, Monday-Friday.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

"Why, it's the amazing Mr Dicey, warra top aristo hunk!", said Elizabeth, ripping off her fancy thermal chemise and throwing herself wantonly across the imported French chaise longue. "I'm sorry to demure Liz, but I'm now pan gender ambiguous, in line with the very latest social thinking", said Mr Dicey, "so you can just put your frock back on and make us a cup of Yorkshire!" - "Pride & Prejudice", by Jane Austen-Healy.

BN.

[Serial_Apologist]

"Why, it's the amazing Mr Dicey, warra top aristo hunk!", said Elizabeth, ripping off her fancy thermal chemise and throwing herself wantonly across the imported French chaise longue. "I'm sorry to demure Liz, but I'm now pan gender ambiguous, in line with the very latest social thinking", said Mr Dicey, "so you can just put your frock back on and make us a cup of Yorkshire!" - "Pride & Prejudice", by Jane Austen-Healy.

BN.

Once thought to be the illegitimate daughter of a certain Austin Cambridge until threatened court action by one Maurice Oxford, a Tory Commoner of ill-repute, put the brakes on it.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Dear God above, what on earth was that appalling Kurt Elling drivel just now on J to Z? "Stays" or something from his new album. Maudlin laughable "rhymes" that would disgrace a twelve year olds jotter about 9/11 and on to the SS! For a minute I thought it was that other sentimental idiot, Gregory Porter. And then Ms Ever Gushing says, "Owww I almost cried when I first heard it". This is a bloody awful programme/series in content AND presentation. No more ever.

[Jazzrook]

Dear God above, what on earth was that appalling Kurt Elling drivel just now on J to Z? "Stays" or something from his new album. Maudlin laughable "rhymes" that would disgrace a twelve year olds jotter about 9/11 and on to the SS! For a minute I thought it was that other sentimental idiot, Gregory Porter. And then Ms Ever Gushing says, "Owww I almost cried when I first heard it". This is a bloody awful programme/series in content AND presentation. No more ever.

Agree about the dreadful Kurt Elling track and the gushing presenter.
J to Z seems to improve markedly with Kevin LeGendre who should be the permanent presenter.

JR

[Quarky]

Dear God above, what on earth was that appalling Kurt Elling drivel just now on J to Z? "Stays" or something from his new album. Maudlin laughable "rhymes" that would disgrace a twelve year olds jotter about 9/11 and on to the SS! For a minute I thought it was that other sentimental idiot, Gregory Porter. And then Ms Ever Gushing says, "Owww I almost cried when I first heard it". This is a bloody awful programme/series in content AND presentation. No more ever.

A tad harsh?

Listening to this programme, and then listening again, I felt the music played was generally of high quality, and even Kurt Elling, who I normally can't stand, was quite reasonable IMV.
High spots for me were Hazel Scott/ Mingus/ Roach, Masekela/ Allen, and Tony Allen's highly entertaining discussion of Roach and Blakey and comparison between American and African drumming - Roach plays like an African?

Jumoké Fashola has a gushing theatrical style, but I feel she has reined it in over time. She let herself off the hook with Kurt Elling, but compared to some presenters I can think of.......

[Ian Thumwood]

I quite like Kurt Elling although he comes from a tradition of singers such as Mark Murphy and Ian Shaw who I find grating. In defence of Elling, he does not go the easy route of singing standards and he has a reputation for covering standard jazz material. I have a couple of his records from the 2000s when Laurence Hopgood was his MD and the results are impressive. Jazz singing is something that I find divisive enough to begin with but if you consider him as a kind of male version of Betty Carter, I think you can appreciate where he is coming from. I saw him perform live about ten years ago and he was brilliant. No many singers are that engaged with the improvisation process yet Elling is probably the most aligned with jazz amongst the singers of his generation although I appreciate he does have a marmite reputation amongst fans.

Regarding J-Z, isn't this just a rebranding of the old "Jazz line up?" The one thing in it's favour is that it is now purely jazz and none of the marginal, "jazzy" stuff that really has little to do with jazz gets featured. This is welcome as there were some horror stories in the past. That said, I still think that the acoustic version of Laura Jurd's "Dinosaur" represents an all time low for me with regard to J-Z. Don't think I can ever recall hearing anything as embarrassing as that set and the number where all the band members chanted a phrase over a groove. As a rule, I am finding the current crop of British jazz musicians to be pretty good on this programme.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

I quite like Kurt Elling although he comes from a tradition of singers such as Mark Murphy and Ian Shaw who I find grating. In defence of Elling, he does not go the easy route of singing standards and he has a reputation for covering standard jazz material. I have a couple of his records from the 2000s when Laurence Hopgood was his MD and the results are impressive. Jazz singing is something that I find divisive enough to begin with but if you consider him as a kind of male version of Betty Carter, I think you can appreciate where he is coming from. I saw him perform live about ten years ago and he was brilliant. No many singers are that engaged with the improvisation process yet Elling is probably the most aligned with jazz amongst the singers of his generation although I appreciate he does have a marmite reputation amongst fans.

Regarding J-Z, isn't this just a rebranding of the old "Jazz line up?" The one thing in it's favour is that it is now purely jazz and none of the marginal, "jazzy" stuff that really has little to do with jazz gets featured. This is welcome as there were some horror stories in the past. That said, I still think that the acoustic version of Laura Jurd's "Dinosaur" represents an all time low for me with regard to J-Z. Don't think I can ever recall hearing anything as embarrassing as that set and the number where all the band members chanted a phrase over a groove. As a rule, I am finding the current crop of British jazz musicians to be pretty good on this programme.

Surely it should be possible to develop a R3 magazine jazz format (if that's what's deemed necessary) which doesn't treat it's audience as if they'd accidentally tuned into a 1970s playschool, and then been washed down with a bucket of banality and saccharine gush? Sarah Walker does this effectively on a Sunday morning in the classical sphere, an interesting & adult programme, not "heavy" because that's not the spec, but not infantile. And by all means have it based around current British players, but at least give it some grit and critical weight. At the moment its parents evening at the mother and toddlers group. Without the gin.

[Alyn_Shipton]

Bluesnik: "Surely it should be possible to develop a R3 magazine jazz format " - I think it used to be called Jazz Now, with a live concert thrown in...

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Bluesnik: "Surely it should be possible to develop a R3 magazine jazz format " - I think it used to be called Jazz Now, with a live concert thrown in...

That's the concept we're "blue skies" searching for!

[Alyn_Shipton]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXmWlArIp1c

[Serial_Apologist]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXmWlArIp1c

My version's the Benny Hill 1938 Carnegie Hall concert one.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Al Jerreau - "Blue Skies", from the soundtrack of "Glengarry Glen Ross" (son of Death of a Salesman), with I think Wayne Shorter on tenor...

http://youtu.be/hZD_d6xo1UQ