Depping at The Caff.

[Serial_Apologist]

Sat 24 July
6pm - J to Z

Note the time of commincemeat

Kevin Le Gendre interviews saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, who discusses his influences and what he inherited from his parents, Alice and John Coltrane. Plus concert highlights from Israeli pianist Omer Klein, some jazz classics, and the cream of new releases.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000y5qx

12midnight - Free Nessie
Corey Mwamba with new jazz and improvised music, including highlights of guitarist Jessica Ackerley's new solo album Morning/Mourning - which recalls two of her mentors who died this year - and Argentinian saxophonist Camila Nebbia's contemplative vision of her country with a group featuring turntables, voice, cello and piano. Plus an archive recording of South African trumpeter Claude Deppa in concert at the Jazz Café in London.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000y5r3

Sun 25 July
4pm - Jazz Record Requessies
Alyn Shipton with a playlist showcasing pianists, including Hampton Hawes and Erroll Garner, plus requests to mark the centenary of Billy Taylor (1921-2010) and a classic vocal from Ottilie Patterson.

Damn - forgot to slip my Billy Taylor request in.

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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000y5vj

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Sat 24 July
6pm - J to Z

Note the time of commincemeat

Kevin Le Gendre interviews saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, who discusses his influences and what he inherited from his parents, Alice and John Coltrane. Plus concert highlights from Israeli pianist Omer Klein, some jazz classics, and the cream of new releases.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000y5qx

12midnight - Free Nessie
Corey Mwamba with new jazz and improvised music, including highlights of guitarist Jessica Ackerley's new solo album Morning/Mourning - which recalls two of her mentors who died this year - and Argentinian saxophonist Camila Nebbia's contemplative vision of her country with a group featuring turntables, voice, cello and piano. Plus an archive recording of South African trumpeter Claude Deppa in concert at the Jazz Café in London.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000y5r3

Sun 25 July
4pm - Jazz Record Requessies
Alyn Shipton with a playlist showcasing pianists, including Hampton Hawes and Erroll Garner, plus requests to mark the centenary of Billy Taylor (1921-2010) and a classic vocal from Ottilie Patterson.

Damn - forgot to slip my Billy Taylor request in.

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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000y5vj

Ravi Coltrane is now 55 and was 2 when his father died. I do wonder if he ever gets totally p/ssd off with the endless unimaginative & repetitive questions about John? I remember a Jazzwise interview with McCoy Tyner a few years back where after the compulsory genuflection to "John", they were reduced to talking about McCoy's new pair of trousers. Jazz journalism is pretty dire (politely). Mind you, most mainstream "journalism" is that also.

[Ian Thumwood]

Ravi Coltrane is now 55 and was 2 when his father died. I do wonder if he ever gets totally p/ssd off with the endless unimaginative & repetitive questions about John? I remember a Jazzwise interview with McCoy Tyner a few years back where after the compulsory genuflection to "John", they were reduced to talking about McCoy's new pair of trousers. Jazz journalism is pretty dire (politely). Mind you, most mainstream "journalism" is that also.

I generally agree with that and then you encounter writers like Gene Leas who genuinely understand the music.

I have always perceived Ravi Coltrane as part of the group of musicians who came out of the M-Base music and, on the two occasions I have seen him, think he is totally his own man.

On the subject of questions in interviews, I have rarely read anyone ask the question as to what exactly turned a particular musician in to playing jazz. It always fascinates me to learn what it was that they heard that was so special that it changed their lives. You hear vague references to Parker, Miles or Coltrane which are almost rote as well as mentions of growing up amid a parent or sibbling's record collection. One of the only examples I can recall was pianist John Lewis being bowled over by a live performance by McKinney's Cottonpickers and how this changed his life. This always sticks in my memory as I am a fan of this big band too and would love to have been able tohear them play live as well.

The other question I never hear asked and particularly applies to earlier jazz musicians who emerged prior to jazz courses existing at universities. I would love to know how these musicians learned to play jazz and how they got their technical knowledge to improvise. I read somewhere that Andrew Hill studied with Earl Hines yet have never read anywhere what it was and how exactly Hines taught jazz piano.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

I generally agree with that and then you encounter writers like Gene Leas who genuinely understand the music.

I have always perceived Ravi Coltrane as part of the group of musicians who came out of the M-Base music and, on the two occasions I have seen him, think he is totally his own man.

On the subject of questions in interviews, I have rarely read anyone ask the question as to what exactly turned a particular musician in to playing jazz. It always fascinates me to learn what it was that they heard that was so special that it changed their lives. You hear vague references to Parker, Miles or Coltrane which are almost rote as well as mentions of growing up amid a parent or sibbling's record collection. One of the only examples I can recall was pianist John Lewis being bowled over by a live performance by McKinney's Cottonpickers and how this changed his life. This always sticks in my memory as I am a fan of this big band too and would love to have been able tohear them play live as well.

The other question I never hear asked and particularly applies to earlier jazz musicians who emerged prior to jazz courses existing at universities. I would love to know how these musicians learned to play jazz and how they got their technical knowledge to improvise. I read somewhere that Andrew Hill studied with Earl Hines yet have never read anywhere what it was and how exactly Hines taught jazz piano.

One of the things which interests me is the "economics" of jazz. Rarely covered in all the romanticism etc. Particularly the 50s & 60s. Where did records sell, territories & to who. There are stories of Riverside records often being sold through hairdressers in black neighbourhoods, which indicates a then strong community "base". How did being a professional jazz musician compare socially and financially? The big names and the others. I read somewhere that Jackie McLean's entire earnings for one year was a "huge" $360. He was sustained by Dolly's salary. Someone like Lee Morgan, was he ever financially stable in the best years? Mobley? And again, the West Coast musicians who were able to dip in and out of studio and film sessions, were they actually wealthy? I know Bud Shank bought sail boats and Shelly Manne bred horses, but was that true more generally? And back in this country, It surprised me recently (Simon Spillet's) how often Tubby Hayes was scuffing, despite the name and the session and film work etc. Other issues obviously, but what was that life like for professional musicians even with record deals and name recognition.

[Old Grumpy]

I know (from previous posts on this forum) that Alan Barnes may not be everyone's cup of tea. I would submit, however that he is a hardworking musician of great integrity. There is an excellent piece on him by Simon Spillett in July's Jazzwise magazine.

OG

[Alyn_Shipton]

Going back to earlier points made here. Ravi presented a series for me that I co-produced on John Coltrane for Radio 2, and he genuinely cared abut being a curator of his father's music. (He's also chair of the trust that looks after his parents' home on Long Island. It was he who went through hours of tape to find unreleased material by JC. And refreshingly he's always been his own man when it came to playing.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Going back to earlier points made here. Ravi presented a series for me that I co-produced on John Coltrane for Radio 2, and he genuinely cared abut being a curator of his father's music. (He's also chair of the trust that looks after his parents' home on Long Island. It was he who went through hours of tape to find unreleased material by JC. And refreshingly he's always been his own man when it came to playing.

My point is not that parentage shouldn't be recognised, if your father is John Coltrane it's pretty unavoidable. The same if your father was Picasso or Miro and you perhaps paint. Or, more "wonderfully", if you're a jazz pianist and your father is Mussolini! Its when it becomes the constant journalistic hook. The merits or other of the artist always set against that historical backcloth, spoken or unspoken. Ravi was just two when his father died, true Alice was there, but ...

Maybe it's just me, but I would have hated to have hit 60 and been constantly asked the same questions about my father. Who was an electrician, and not a seminal saxophonist!

*It's also (another annoyance) that Radio 3 cannot for the life of them introduce anything by Shostakovich without referencing Stalin. Last night again. As if it's on tracks. Yes, he's a central figure to put it mildly, and I'm the last to be an apologst, but Shostakovich's relationship to the Soviet Union was "ambiguous", not everything was a heroic liberal fight against the state. He had many other aspects. I'm never sure if this is a legacy of cold war, the "new" cold war or just glib boilerplate.

[Quarky]

Just an abstract thought without knowing matters in detail.

How much air time would Ravi have got if he hadn't had a famous father? If he didn't have a famous connection would his music stood out from the crowd? May be he has taken a professional view that the connection is in his own interests, and so puts up with journalists and others that are really interested in JC?

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Smashing JRR today. Can't fault it, and a huge thanks to Alyn for the Billy Taylor/Johnny Hodges "Daydreaming", perfection. Intrigued by the Maynard Ferguson/Chris Connor WSS track, never heard that before, an album that seems to get mixed reviews, but MF led some packed bands, inc Jaki Byard & Joe Farrell for example there ...and earlier, Wayne Shorter.

[Serial_Apologist]

Smashing JRR today. Can't fault it, and a huge thanks to Alyn for the Billy Taylor/Johnny Hodges "Daydreaming", perfection. Intrigued by the Maynard Ferguson/Chris Connor WSS track, never heard that before, an album that seems to get mixed reviews, but MF led some packed bands, inc Jaki Byard & Joe Farrell for example there ...and earlier, Wayne Shorter.

Me too - almost a re-composition, which is probably the one thing to do to turn that tune into a jazz vehicle. Another thing that struck was just how anticipatory of the young Norma Winstone to come was Chris Connor's vocal.