Dextrous could come in handy.

[Serial_Apologist]

Sat 2 Jan
5pm - J to Z
Julian Joseph with new sounds in jazz and classic recordings. Plus exclusive sessions and interviews, today with Los Angeles multi-instrumentalist and producer Georgia Ann Muldrow (aka Jyoti) sharing music that inspires her. Plus highlights from Jazz South's Radar Commissions series, showcasing standout improvisers from the south of England.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qy3g

12midnight -Freeness
Corey Mwamba presents a fine pick of new jazz and improvised music with an adventurous spirit, tonight featuring a rich and dextrous exploration of the acoustic bass from Neil Charles, plus highlights of a new recording by saxophonist Matana Roberts and pianist Pat Thomas. And there's music from a compilation showcasing Zambia's Western Province.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qy3v

Sun 3 Jan
4pm - Jazz Record Requests

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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qyhw

Monday 4 - Fri 8 Composer of the Week @ 12 noon re-features the series on the black US composer Florence Price (1887-1953)

Thurs 7 Jan - Radio 4
10.45 am repeated 7.45pm - 80 Not Out
4/5 Demerara Jazz
By Jacqueline Crooks. An 80-year old woman directing her first play finds her leading man struggles to connect with an audience. Her determination to help revives memories of her childhood in Guyana and the jazz players she heard upon arriving in London. Read by Yvonne Brewster.

[Alyn_Shipton]

How did you know I'm playing John Handy on JRR? Very apt! HNY to all boardees.

[Serial_Apologist]

How did you know I'm playing John Handy on JRR? Very apt! HNY to all boardees.

Claire Voyance is my middle name, Alyn!

[Old Grumpy]

Claire Voyance is my middle name, Alyn!

Strictly at weekends though?

OG

[Serial_Apologist]

Strictly at weekends though?

OG

Truly outstanding J to Z today, I thought.

[Rcartes]

I'm getting less and less enthused by JRR (sorry, Alyn!): too many women vocalists with only a passing knowledge of jazz: the dire offering by Katie Birtill today being a far too typical example.

And as for The Old Time In Hot Town Tonight by Chris Barber, complete with unimpressive vocal by Ottilie Patterson and desperately clanking banjo, OMG! Had to listen to the Bessie Smith version to expunge the horrible memory.

But I guess we have to blame the requesters, it's not Alyn's fault, I'm sure.

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm getting less and less enthused by JRR (sorry, Alyn!): too many women vocalists with only a passing knowledge of jazz: the dire offering by Katie Birtill today being a far too typical example.

And as for The Old Time In Hot Town Tonight by Chris Barber, complete with unimpressive vocal by Ottilie Patterson and desperately clanking banjo, OMG! Had to listen to the Bessie Smith version to expunge the horrible memory.

But I guess we have to blame the requesters, it's not Alyn's fault, I'm sure.

I suppose the first one of a new year always risks being like this one largely was. I've never thought of JRR as being jazz-educational. And as Alyn always reminds us, it's up to us if we want to see changes in the menu.

[Ian Thumwood]

I missed the first 20-odd minutes of J-Z and came in on the bass / harp duet which I thought was absolutely brilliant. Generally I find the harp too pure in tone to be an effective jazz instrument but the track proved me wrong in this instance. The Jarrett and Sun Ra track were also enjoyable even if I keep thinking that I wish Ra has ironed out the intonation problems with the horns / reeds before recording. I suppose the ruggedness of the band is part of it's charm and 180 degrees opposite of something like Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band where precision is everything.

The interviewee turned out to be a bit of a pain in the backside. I usually love hearing other musicians enthuse about something and this feature has been fascinating to letting you hear something afresh. In this instance, I felt that too much of what she said offered no real insight and was just nonsense.

[CGR]

I'm getting less and less enthused by JRR (sorry, Alyn!): too many women vocalists with only a passing knowledge of jazz: the dire offering by Katie Birtill today being a far too typical example.

And as for The Old Time In Hot Town Tonight by Chris Barber, complete with unimpressive vocal by Ottilie Patterson and desperately clanking banjo, OMG! Had to listen to the Bessie Smith version to expunge the horrible memory.

But I guess we have to blame the requesters, it's not Alyn's fault, I'm sure.

Agree with that statement. I now tend to turn off or change to TalkRadio if I hear yet another singer. They should be rationed and we need more quality control.

[CGR]

I missed the first 20-odd minutes of J-Z and came in on the bass / harp duet which I thought was absolutely brilliant. Generally I find the harp too pure in tone to be an effective jazz instrument but the track proved me wrong in this instance. The Jarrett and Sun Ra track were also enjoyable even if I keep thinking that I wish Ra has ironed out the intonation problems with the horns / reeds before recording. I suppose the ruggedness of the band is part of it's charm and 180 degrees opposite of something like Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band where precision is everything.

The interviewee turned out to be a bit of a pain in the backside. I usually love hearing other musicians enthuse about something and this feature has been fascinating to letting you hear something afresh. In this instance, I felt that too much of what she said offered no real insight and was just nonsense.

Must be very difficult getting chromatic harmony & lines on a harp with those pedals. It's not exactly suited to the music.

[Serial_Apologist]

Must be very difficult getting chromatic harmony & lines on a harp with those pedals. It's not exactly suited to the music.

Not knowing much if anything about harp playing I would have thought so: Alice Coltrane largely restricted herself to pentatonic washes on the harp, whereas her piano and organ playing was much freer and wide-ranging, more chromatic.

[Bryn]

One is reminded of the Debussy's Danses versus Ravel's Intorduction et Allegro. The former having been composed on commision from Pleyel for their chromaric cross-strung chromaric harp, the latter for the Erhard double-action pedal harp.

[Serial_Apologist]

One is reminded of the Debussy's Danses versus Ravel's Intorduction et Allegro. The former having been composed on commision from Pleyel for their chromaric cross-strung chromaric harp, the latter for the Erhard double-action pedal harp.

I didn't know that - so thanks, Bryn.

[Quarky]

A very positive review of the capabilities of the Jazz Harp from the Guardian --

:: https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...majeure-review

[CGR]

Not knowing much if anything about harp playing I would have thought so: Alice Coltrane largely restricted herself to pentatonic washes on the harp, whereas her piano and organ playing was much freer and wide-ranging, more chromatic.

I used to be Concert Sec. for the local Chamber Music Soc. and when we had a Harpist I was amazed at the amount of pedaling involved in playing the instrument. Reminded me of having to double-declutch to change gears on my old Granddad's ancient delivery van - hard work and when you got it wrong you had a nasty crunching noise from the gears.