A real cross section of material  this week from many periods and styles.

JRR 240115

 

DISC 1

Artist                      Cab Calloway

Title                        Mama, I Wanna Make Rhythm

Composer             Jerome, Byron, Kent

Album                    This Is Hep

Label                      Proper

Number                 Properbox 141 CD 3 Track 2

Duration             3.00

Performers: Doc Cheatham, Irving Randolph, Lammar Wright, t; Claude Jones, Keg Johnson, DePriest Wheeler, tb; Garvin Bushell, Andy Brown, Foots Thomas, Chu Berry, reeds; Bennie Payne, p; Morris White, g; Milt Hinton, b; Leroy Maxey, d. 31 Aug 1937.

 

 

DISC 2

Artist                        Dave Brubeck

Title                          You’re The Top

Composer                Cole Porter

Album                        Brubeck Plays Cole Porter

Label                         Columbia

Number                    CS 9402 Side B Track 3

Duration             6.36

Performers: Paul Desmond, as; Dave Brubeck, p; Gene Wright, b; Joe Morello, d. 1966.

 

DISC 3

Artist                        Ben Webster

Title                        Cocktails for Two

Composer            Coslow, Johnston

Album                        Three Classic Albums

Label                        Avid

Number            1038 CD 1 Track 3

Duration             2.43

Performers: Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, ts; Oscar Peterson, p; Ray Brown, b; Herb Ellis, p; Alvin Stoller, d. 1957.

 

 

DISC 4

Artist                        Shorty Rogers

Title                        The Sweetheart of Sigmund Freud

Composer            Rogers

Album                        Four Classic Albums

Label                        Avid

Number            1041 CD 1 Track 12

Duration             2.42

Performers: Shorty Rogers, Conrad Gozzo, Maynard Ferguson, Tom Reeves, John Howell, t; Milt Bernhart, Harry Betts, John Halliburton, tb; John Graas, frh; Gene Englund, tu; Art Pepper, Bud Shank, Jimmy Giuffre, Bob Cooper, reeds, Marty Paich, p; Curtis Counce, b; Shelly Manne, d. 2 Apr 1953

 

 

DISC 5

Artist                        Kenny Wheeler

Title                        Canter no 1

Composer            Wheeler

Album                        Songs for Quintet

Label                        ECM

Number            470 4653 Track 4

Duration             6.40

Performers:            Kenny Wheeler, fh; Stan Sulzmann, ts; John Parricelli, g; Chris Laurence, b; Martin France, d. Dec 2013.

 

DISC 6

Artist                        Oscar Peterson

Title                        Alice In Wonderland

Composer            Fain, Hilliard

Album                        The Way I Really Play

Label                        MPS

Number            Track 5

Duration             4.46

Performers: Oscar Peterson, p; Sam Jones, b; Bobby Durham, d. April 1968.

 

DISC 7

Artist                        Freddy Randall

Title                        You’re Driving Me Crazy

Composer            Donaldson

Album                        Freddy Randall / Dave Shepherd Jazz All Stars

Label                        Black Lion

Number            2460 194 S1 T 5

Duration             4.37

Performers: Freddy Randall, c; Dave Hewitt, tb; Dave Shepherd, cl; Danny Moss, ts; Brian Lemon, p; Kenny Baldock, b; Johnny Richardson, d. 1973

 

DISC 8

Artist                        Bob Crosby

Title                        Spain

Composer            Jones / Kahn

Album                        Bob Crosby’s Bob Cats Vol 3 1940

Label                        Swaggie

Number            503 Track 2

Duration             3.04

Performers            Billy Butterfield, t; Warren Smith, tb; Irving Fazola, cl; Eddie Miller, ts; Jess Stacy, p; Nappy Lamare, g; Bob Haggart, b; Ray Bauduc, d. 6 Feb 1940.

 

 

DISC 9

Artist                        Oscar Dennard

Title                        Pinky

Composer            Dennard

Album                        The Legendary Oscar Dennard

Label                        Somethin Else

Number            Track 3

Duration             4.25

Performers: Idrees Sulieman, t; Oscar Dennard, p; Jamil Nasser, b; Buster Smith, d. 1958

 

DISC 10

Artist                        Melody Gardot

Title                        All That I Need Is Love

Composer            Gardot

Album                        Worrisome Heart

Label                        Verve

Number            1749640 Track 2

Duration             2.36

Performers            Melody Gardot, v; Ron Kerber, cl; Jef Lee Johnson, g; Joel Bryant, p; Ken Pendergast, b; Charlie Patierno, d; 2006

 

 

DISC 11

Artist                        Philip Clouts

Title                        Flamingo-Ing

Composer            Clouts

Album                        The Hour of Pearl

Label                        Point

Number            PCD 026

Duration             7.36

Performers            Philip Cl;outs, piano, Carlos Lopez-Real, reeds; Alex Keen, b; Jon Desbruslais, d. 2013.

 

 

DISC 12

Artist                        Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington

Title                        It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing

Composer            Ellington, Mills

Album                        The Great Summit

Label                        Essential Jazz Classics

Number            55536 Track 11

Duration             3.59

Performers            Louis Armstrong, t, v; Barney Bigard, cl; Trummy Young, cl; Duke Ellington, p; Mort Herbert, b; Danny Barcelona, d. 1961.

 

 

 

 

Here’s the music for this week’s show:

JRR 17 Jan 2015

 

DISC 1

Artist                        Emmett Berry

Title                        Boogie Woogie a la Parisienne

Composer            Berry/Price

Album                        Emmett Berry and His Orchestra (EP)

Label                        Columbia

Number            FP1076 S2 T 1

Duration             4.03

Performers: Emmett Berry, t; Guy Lafitte, ts; Sammy Price, p; Pops Foster, b; Freddie Moore, d. 6 Jan 1956

 

DISC 2

Artist                        Sarah Moule

Title                        Lord I wanna Be Good

Composer            Landesman, Wallace

Album                        Songs from the Floating World

Label                        Red Ram

Number            RAM 002 Track 1

Duration             3.56

Performers: Sarah Moule v; Simon Wallace, kb; Nigel Price, g; Mick Hutton, b; Paul Robinson, d. 2014

 

DISC 3

Artist                        Scott Hamilton

Title                        Jitterbug Waltz

Composer            Fats Waller

Album                        Jazz Signatures

Label                        Concord

Number            49392 Track 3

Duration             7.37

Performers            Scott Hamilton, ts; John Bunch, p; Dave Green, b; Steve Brown, d. 2001.

 

 

DISC 4

Artist                        Jackie Davis

Title                        Walkin’ My Baby Back Home

Composer            Turk / Ahlert

Album                        HiFi Hammond Vol 2

Label                        Capitol

Number            ST 1517 Track 1

Duration             3.22

Performers: Jackie Davis, org, 1960.

 

 

DISC 5

Artist                        Bob Crosby

Title                        The Big Noise From Winnetka

Composer            Bauduc, Crosby, Haggart

Album                        A Proper Introduction to Bob Crosby

Label                        Proper

Number            2073 Tr 17

Duration             2.37

Performers: Bob Haggart, b whistle; Ray Bauduc, d. 14 Oct 1938.

 

 

DISC 6

Artist                        Duke Ellington

Title                        Creole Love Call

Composer            Ellington

Album                        Columbia Jazz Profiles

Label                        Columbia

Number            88697298542 Track 3

Duration             3.15

Performers: Duke Ellington, p; Bubber Miley, Louis Metcalfe, t; Joe Nanton, tb; Otto Hardwick, Rudy Jackson, Harry Carney, reeds; Fred Guy, bj; Wellman Braud, b; Sonny Greer, d; Adelaide Hall, v. 6 Oct 1927.

 

 

DISC 7

Artist                        Boyd Raeburn

Title                        Dalvatore Sally

Composer            George Handy

Album                        Histoire des Big Bands

Label                        Chant du monde

Number            574 1487 cd7 tr 4

Duration             3.00

Performers            Boyd Raeburn, bsx; Dale Pierce, Ray Linn, Carl Groen, Nelson Shallaway, t; Ollie Wilson, Hal Smith, Britt Woodman, tb; Willie Schwartz, Harry Klee, Ralph Lee, Guy McReynolds, Hy Mandel, reeds; Dodo Marmarosa, p; Dave Barbour, g; Harry Babasin, b; Jackie Mills, d. 5 Feb 1946.

 

DISC 8

Artist                        Branford Marsalis

Title                        Stardust

Composer            Carmichael

Album                        In My Solitude

Label                        Okeh

Number            88875011652 Track 2

Duration             6.21

Performers            Branford Marsalis, ts. 5 Oct 2012.

 

 

DISC 9

Artist                        Art Tatum

Title                        Tiger Rag

Composer            La Rocca

Album                        Piano Grand Master

Label                        Proper

Number            Properbox 60 CD 1 Track 4

Duration             2.20

Performers:             Art Tatum, p; 21 March 1933

 

 

DISC 10

Artist                        Ella Fitzgerald

Title                        Manhattan

Composer            Rodgers and Hart

Album                        Essential Ella

Label                        Verve

Number            523 990-2 Track 1

Duration             2.53

Performers: Ella Fitzgerald, the Buddy Bregman Orchestra, August 1956.

 

DISC 11

Artist                        Michael Garrick

Title                        Here There And Everywhere

Composer            Lennon / McCartney

Album                        Parting Is Such

Label                        Jazz Academy

Number            JAZA 3 Track 6

Duration             5.11

Performers            Christian Garrick, vn; Michael Garrick, p. 1994.

 

 

DISC 12

Artist                        Maxine Sullivan

Title                        If I Had A Ribbon Bow

Composer            trad

Album                        Maxine Sullivan 1938-41

Label                        Classics

Number            991 Track 15

Duration             3.12

Performers: Maxine Sullivan and John Kirby’s Orchestra: Charlie Shavers, t; Buster Bailey, cl; Russell Procope, as; Billy Kyle, p; John Kirby, b; O’Niel Spencer, d. 1 Aug 1940.

 

DISC 13

Artist                        Gary Burton

Title                        Turn of the Century

Composer            Mike Gibbs

Album                        Throb

Label                        Atlantic

Number            Track 2

Duration             5.07

Performers: Gary Burton, vib; Richard Greene, vn; Jerry Hahn, g; Steve Swallow, b; Bill Goodwin, d. 1969.

 

 

JRR 10 Jan 2015

 

DISC 1

Artist                        Joe Harriott

Title                        Revival

Composer            Harriott

Album                        Movement

Label                        Columbia

Number            33SX 1627 Track 5

Duration             3.11

Performers: Joe Harriott, as; Shake Keane, t; Pat Smythe, p; Bobby Orr, d, Coleridge Goode, b. 1963.

 

DISC 2

Artist                        Duke Ellington / Count Basie

Title                        Battle Royal

Composer            Ellington

Album                        Duke Ellington Meets Count Basie

Label                        Essential Jazz Classics

Number            55544 Track 1

Duration             5.36

Performers: Sonny Cohn, Thad Jones, Lonnie Johnson, Snooky Young, t; Henry Coker, Quentin Jackson, Benny Powell, Urbie Green, tb; Marshall Royal, Budd Johnson, Frank Wess, Frank Foster, Charlie Fowlkes, reeds; Count Basie, p; Freddie Green, g; Eddie Jones, b; Sonny Payne, d; Ed Mullins, Fats Ford, Willie Cook, Cat Anderson, Ray Nance, t; Juan Tizol, Laurence Brown, Louis Blackburn, tb; Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Harry Carney, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, reeds; Aaron Bell, b; Sam Woodyard, d. July 1961.

 

 

DISC 3

Artist                        Donald Lambert

Title                        Anitra’s Dance

Composer            Grieg arr Lambert

Album                        Donald Lambert

Label                        Pumpkin

Number            S 1 T 1

Duration             2.42

Performers            Donald Lambert, p.

 

 

DISC 4

Artist                        Ken Colyer

Title                        Painting The Clouds with Sunshine

Composer            Burke

Album                        Painting The Clouds with Sunshine

Label                        Black Lion

Number            70501 Track 2

Duration             9.12

Performers            Ken Colyer, t; Bruce Bakewell, cl; Mike Sherbourne, tb; Ray Smith, p; Bill Stotesbury, bj; Alyn Shipton, b; Colin Bowden, d. 6 Oct 1979.

 

 

 

DISC 5

Artist                        Bix Beiderbecke

Title                        Sorry

Composer            Quicksell

Album                        Bix Beiderbecke Story

Label                        Proper

Number            Properbox 66 DC 2 Track 26

Duration             2.55

Performers            Bix Beiderbecke, c; Bill Rank, tb; Don Murray, cl; Adrian Rollini, bsx; Frank Signorelli, p; Chauncey Morehouse, d. 25 Oct 1927.

 

 

DISC 6

Artist                        Jelly Roll Morton

Title                        Sidewalk Blues

Composer            Morton

Album                        Birth of the Hot

Label                        Bluebird

Number            Track 20

Duration             3.33

Performers: George Mitchell, c; Omer Simeon, Barney Bigard, Darnell Howard, cl; Kid Ory, tb; Jelly Roll Morton, p; Johnny St Cyr, bj; John Linmdsay, b; Andrew Hilaire, d. 21 Sept 1926.

 

DISC 7

Artist                        Paul Desmond / Gerry Mulligan

Title                        The Way You Look Tonight

Composer            Kern / Fields

Album                        Two of a Mind

Label                        Bluebird

Number            ND 90364 Track 5

Duration             7.20

Performers            Paul Desmond, as; Gerry Mulligan, bar; Joe Benjamin, b; Mel Lewis, d. 1 Aug 1962

 

 

DISC 8

Artist                        Trevor Watts

Title                        Solus

Composer            Watts

Album                        Veracity

Label                        FMR

Number            3770714 Track 1

Duration             3.49 (track overall 4.03)

Performers            Trevor Watts, as. June 2014.

 

 

DISC 9

Artist                        Natalie Williams

Title                        Where You Are

Composer            Williams / Cawley

Album                        Where You Are

Label                        Little Girl

Number            1301

Duration             5.11

Performers: Natalie Williams, v, plus acc.

 

DISC 10

Artist                        Alex Welsh

Title                        Hindustan

Composer            Wallace / Weeks

Album                        It’s Right Here For You

Label                        Vocalion

Number            5321 CD 1 Track 8

Duration             3.02

Performers            Alex Welsh, c; Roy Crimmins, tb; Archie Semple cl; Fred Hunt, p; Diz Disley, g; Bill Reid, b; Lennie Hastings, d. Sept 1960.

 

DISC 11

Artist                        Jacques Loussier

Title                        Largo from Winter

Composer            Vivaldi arr Loussier

Album                        The Four Seasons

Label                        Telarc

Number            83417 Track 11

Duration             3.34

Performers: Jacques Loussier, p; Vincent Charbonnier, b; Andre Arpino, d. 1997.

 

 

DISC 12

Artist                        Humphrey Lyttelton

Title                        Bad Penny Blues

Composer            Lyttelton

Album                        Huphrey Lyttelton and His Band and the Paseo Jazz Band

Label                        Upbeat

Number            223 Track 24

Duration             2.55

Performers            Humphrey Lyttelton, t; Johnny Parker, p; Jim Bray, b; Eddie Taylor, d. 7 Aug 1956.

 

 

JRR  030115

DISC 1

Artist                        Tubby Hayes

Title                        You For Me

Composer            Hayes

Album                        Complete Recordings 1959-62

Label                        Chrome Dreams

Number            Track 33

Duration             4.39

Performers: Tubby Hayes (ts); Horace Parlan (p); George Duvivier (b); Dave Bailey (drums) October 3^rd 1961

 

DISC 2

Artist                        Caro Emerald

Title                        You Don’t Love Me

Composer            Schreurs, Van Der Leeuw, DiGiorgio

Album                        Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor

Label                        Dramatico

Number            Track 7

Duration             3.53

Performers            Caro Emerald, v; Peter Huber, t; Arnoud De Graaf, Koen Schouten, reeds; Daan Herweg, p; Wieger Hoogendorp, g; David Schreurs, Jan Van Wieringen, d, perc, electronics. 2010.

 

DISC 3

Artist                        The Rhythmakers

Title                        I Would Do Anything for you

Composer            Hill, Hopkins

Album                        Larkin’s Jazz

Label                        Properbox

Number            Properbox CD 2 Track 8

Duration             3.06

Performers: Billy Banks, v; Henry Allen, t; Jimmy Lord, cl; Pee Wee Russell, ts; Fats Waller, p; Jack Bland, Eddie Condon, g; Pops Foster, b; Zutty Singleton, d. Jul 1932

 

DISC 4

Artist                        Hollywood Hucksters

Title                        Happy Blues

Composer            Dick Larkin

Album                 n/a

Label                        Capitol

Number            40022 Side A

Duration             3.05

Performers: Charlie Shavers, t; Benny Goodman, cl; Benny Carter, as; Dave Cavanaugh, ts; Stan Kenton, speech; Red Norvo. Xyl; Jimmy Rowles, p; Irving Ashby, g; Red Callendar, b; Lee Young, d.

 

DISC 5

Artist                        Bennie Moten

Title                        Band Box Shuffle

Composer            Moten

Album                        Band Box Shuffle

Label                        Hep

Number            1070 CD 1 Track 4

Duration             2.33

Performers: Bennie Moten (leader); Jimmy Rushing (vocals); Jack Washington (alto & baritone saxophones, clarinet); Eddie Barefield (alto saxophone, clarinet); Ben Webster (tenor saxophone); Oran “Hot Lips” Page, Joe Keyes, Dee Stewart (trumpet); Eddie Durham (trombone, guitar); Count Basie (piano); Walter Page (bass); Willie McWashington (drums).

 

DISC 6

Artist                        Miles Davis

Title                        Sketches of Spain

Composer            Evans

Album                        Sketches of Spain (Complete Miles Davis Gil Evans Studio Sessions)

Label                        Columbia

Number            2 67397 CD 3 Track 5

Duration             12.24

Performers:             Miles Davis, Ernie Royal, Bernie Glow, Louis Mucci, Johnny Coles, t; Dick Hixon, Frank Rehak, tb; Jimmy Buffington, Joe Singer, Tony Miranda, frh; Bill Barber, tu; Al Block, Harold Feldman, fl; Romeo Penque, ob; Danny Bank, bcl; Jack Knitzer, bassoon; Janet Putnam, hp; Paul Chambers, b; Jimmy Cobb, d; Elvin Jones, perc; Jose Mangual, perc. 10 March 1960.

 

DISC 7

Artist                        Jazz Today Unit

Title                        Swingin’ The Blues

Composer            Edison

Album                        n/a

Label                        Decca

Number            LK 4180 Side B

Duration             6.07

Performers: George Chisholm, Keith Christie (tb), Geoff Taylor (as), Jimmy Walker (ts), Joe Temperley (bs), Dave Shepherd (cl), Jimmy McKenzie (vib), Ken Moule (p), Ken Sykora (g), Lennie Bush (b), Allan Ganley (d). Nov 1956

 

DISC 8

Artist                        Benny Goodman

Title                        Wholly Cats

Composer            Goodman

Album                        Solo Flight Charlie Christian with the Benny Goodman Sextet

Label                        CBS

Number            S 2 T 3

Duration             3.06

Performers            Benny Goodman, cl; Cootie Williams, t; Georgie Auld, ts; Charlie Christian, g; Count Basie, p; Artie Bernstein, b; Harry Jaeger, d. 7 Nov 1940.

 

DISC 9

Artist                        Hampton Hawes

Title                        The Green Leaves of Summer

Composer            Tiomkin

Album                        Green Leaves of Summer

Label                        Vogue

Number            Track 2

Duration             6.32

Performers: Hampton Hawes, p; Monk Montgomery, b; Steve Ellington d. Feb 1964.

 

DISC 10

Artist                        Loose Tubes

Title                        Sad Afrika

Composer            Bates

Label                        Lost Marble

Number            LM006 Track 1

Duration             5,39

Performers: Flutes: Eddie Parker. Clarinets: Dai Pritchard. Saxophones: Steve Buckley, Iain Ballamy, Mark Lockheart, Julian Nicholas, Ken Stubbs. Trumpets: Lance Kelly, Chris Batchelor, Ted Emmett, Paul Edmonds, Noel Langley. Trombones: John Harborne, Steve Day, Paul Taylor, Richard Pywell. Bass Trombone/ MC: Ashley Slater. Tuba: Dave Powell. Keyboards: Django Bates (Prophet V, DX7, Korg SG1D)Guitar: John Parricelli.Bass: Steve Watts. Drums: Martin France. Percussion: Thebi Lipere.

 

 

JRR 271214

DISC 1

Artist                        Greg Abate

Title                        Steppin’ Out

Composer            Abate

Album                        Motif

Label                        Whaling City Sound

Number            WCS 070 Track 7

Duration             4.39

Performers            Greg Abate, as; John Lockwood, b; Mark Walker, d; Tim Ray, p. 2014.

 

DISC 2

Artist                        Archie Semple and Fred Hunt

Title                        I’m In The Market For You

Composer            Hanley / McCarthy

Album                        The Clarinet of Archie Semple

Label                        Lake

Number            290 Track 18

Duration             3.46

Performers            Archie Semple, cl; Fred Hunt, p.

 

DISC 3

Artist                        Ben Webster and Art Tatum

Title                        Gone With The Wind

Composer            Steiner

Album                        Ben Webster / Art Tatum Quartet

Label                        Poll Winners

Number            Track 3

Duration             4.47

Performers: Ben Webster, ts; Art Tatum, p; Red Callendar, b; Bill Douglass, d.

 

DISC 4

Artist                        Keith Jarrett

Title                        Over the Rainbow

Composer            Arlen / Harburg

Album                        La Scala

Label                        ECM

Number            1640 Track 3

Duration             6.01

Performers            Keith Jarrett, p; 1995.

 

DISC 5

Artist                        The New Jazz Orchestra

Title                        Dusk Fire

Composer            Michael Garrick

Album                        Le Dejeuner Sur L’Herbe

Label                        Dusk Fire

Number            CD110 Track 5

Duration             5.25

Performers: Derek Watkins, Henry Lowther, Harry Beckett, Ian Carr, (t), John Mumford, Mike Gibbs, Derek Wadsworth, Tony Russell, (tb), George Smith, (tu), Barbara Thompson, Dave Gelly, Jim Philip, Dick Heckstall-Smith, (reeds), Frank Ricotti (vib, mar), Jack Bruce (b), Jon Hiseman (d), Neil Ardley (dir). 17/18 September 1968.

 

DISC 6

Artist                        Ken Colyer

Title                        Tuxedo Rag

Composer            Celestin

Album                        New Orleans To London and Back To The Delta

Label                        Lake

Number            Track 16

Duration             3.09

Performers: Ken Colyer, t; Acker Bilk, cl, Ed O’Donnell, tb; Diz Disley, bj; Dick Smith, b; Stan Greig, d. Oct 1954.

 

DISC 7

Artist                        Euan Burton

Title                        Too Much Love

Composer            Burton

Album                        Too Much Love

Label                        Whirlwind

Number            Track 7

Duration             3.59

Performers: Euan Burton, b; Adam Jackson, as; Alyn Cosker, d; Tom Gibbs, p; June 2013

 

DISC 8

Artist                        Dinah Washington

Title                        Look To The Rainbow

Composer            Lane / Harburg

Album                        Dinah

Label                        Emarcy

Number            36065 Track 1

Duration             2.46

Performers:             Dinah Washington and Orchestra 1956

 

DISC 9

Artist                        Manhattan Transfer

Title                        Birdland

Composer            Zawinul, Hendricks

Album                        Extensions

Label                        Atlantic

Number            Track 1

Duration             6.01

Performers            Tim Hauser, Alan Paul, Janis Siegel, Cheryl Betine, plus acc, inc Yaron Gershowsky, kb. 1979.

 

DISC 10

Artist                        Michel Petrucciani / Ron McClure

Title                        Beautiful But Why

Composer            Petrucciani

Album                        Cold Blues

Label                        Sunnyside

Number            Track 1

Duration             8.37

Performers            Michel Petrucciani, p; Ron McClure, b. 1985.

 

DISC 11

Artist                        Miles Davis

Title                        Half Nelson

Composer            Davis

Album                        Workin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet

Label                        Prestige

Number            Track 7

Duration             4,.45

Performers: Miles Davis, t; John Coltrane, ts; Red Garland, p; Paul Chambers, b; Philly Joe Jones, d.

 

Over the last few weeks, I have been making a documentary for BBC Radio 2 (to be broadcast on 20 January 2015) called: Somerset Blues, the Story of Acker Bilk. It’s been great to talk to Acker’s friends and colleagues past and present, as well as digging up archive recordings of the man himself and the late Michael Winner, who asked Acker to play on the soundtrack of his movie West 11. This weekend we’ve been finishing off the show which is presented by my good friend, all round jazz buff and great radio voice Clarke Peters.

Here’s the playlist for tomorrow’s programme.

 

JRR 20 Dec 2014

DISC 1

Artist                        Harry Gold and His Pieces of Eight

Title                        Way Down Yonder In New Orelans

Composer            Creamer / Layton

Album                        British Traditional Jazz 1936-63

Label                        Lake

Number            CD 300 CD 3 Track 20

Duration             2.00

Performers: Tommy McQuater, t; Billy Amstell, cl; Harry Gold, bass sax; George Chisholm, tb; Bobby McGhee, p; Lennie Bush, b; Jock Cummings, d. Feb 1960

 

DISC 2

Artist                        Lionel Hampton

Title                        Flying Home

Composer            Goodman, Hampton, Robin,

Album                        Histoire des Big Bands

Label                        Chant du Monde

Number            574 1481-90 CD 6 Track 3

Duration             3.10

Performers: Lionel Hampton vib; Ernie Royal, Karl George, Joe Newman, t; Fred Beckett, Sonny Craven, Harry Sloan, tb; Ray Perry, Marshall Royal, Illinois Jacquet, Dexter Gordon, Jack McVea, reeds; Milt Buckner, p; Irving Ashby, g; Vernon Alley, b; George Jenkins, d. 26 May 1942

 

DISC 3

Artist                        Richard Galliano / Brussels Jazz Orchestra

Title                        Rue du Maubeuge

Composer            Galliano

Album                        Ten Years Ago

Label                        Milan

Number            399 235-2 Track 4

Duration             6.16

Performers: Richard Galliano, acc; Pierre Drevet, t; Brussels Jazz orchestra dir. Frank Vaganée.

 

DISC 4

Artist                        Woody Shaw

Title                        The Moontrane

Composer            Shaw

Album                        Solid

Label                        RCA Camden Deluxe

Number            74321 610792 CD 1 Track 1

Duration             6.58

Performers: Woody Shaw, t; Steve Turre, tb; Azar Lawrence, ts; Onjae Allen Gumbs, p; Buster Williams, b; Victor Lewis, d, Tony Waters, cga. Dec 1974.

 

DISC 5

Artist                        Modern Jazz Quartet / Beaux Arts Quartet

Title                        Sketch

Composer            Lewis

Album                        The Quintessence

Label                        Fremeaux

Number            FA 285 CD 2 Track 5

Duration             5.34

Performers: Milt Jackson, vib; John Lewis, p; Percy Heath, b; Connie Kay, d; Gerald Tarak, Alan Martin, vn; Carl Eberl, vl; Joe Tekula, cello. 23 Sept 1959.

 

DISC 6

Artist                        Benny Goodman

Title                        Bach Goes to Town

Composer            Templeton

Album                        The Essentia; BG

Label                        Proper

Number            Properbox 109 CD 3 Track 5

Duration             2.39

Performers: BG, clt; Harry James, Ziggy Elman, Chris Griffin, t; Red Ballard, Vernon Brown, tb; Noni Bernard, Dave Matthews, Art Rollini, Jerry Jerome, saxes; Jess Stacy p; Ben Heller, g; Harry Goodman, b; Buddy Schutz, d. 15 Dec 1938.

 

DISC 7

Artist                        Billie Holiday

Title                        What A Little Moonlight Can Do

Composer            Woods

Album                        40 Great Songs

Label                        Musketeer

Number            9507 CD 2 Track 6

Duration             3.03

Performers: Billie Holiday, v; Roy Eldridge, t; Benny Goodman, cl; Ben Webster, ts; Teddy Wilson, p; John Truehart, g; John Kirby, b; Cozy Cole, d. 2 July 1935.

 

DISC 8

Artist                        Bunny Berigan

Title                        I Can’t Get Started

Composer            Duke, Gershwin,

Album                        Let’s Do It

Label                        Acrobat

Number            FABCD 145 Track 8

Duration             4.47

Performers: Bunny Berigan, t, v; Irv Goodman, Steve Lipkins t; Al George, Sonny Lee, tb; Mike Dot, Joe Dixon, Clyde Rounds, Georgie Auld, reeds; Joe Lippman, p; Tom Morgan, g; Hank Wayland, b; George Wettling, d. 7 Aug 1937.

 

DISC 9

Artist                        Bix Beiderbecke

Title                        Three Blind Mice

Composer            trad arr Challis

Album                        The Bix Beiderbecke Story

Label                        Proper

Number            Properbox 66 CD 2 Track 6

Duration             3.05

Performers: Bix Beiderbecke, c; Bill Rank, tb; Don Murray, Doc Ryker, Frank Trumbauer, Adiran Rollini, reeds; Irving Riskin, p; Eddie Lang, g; Chauncey Morehouse, d. 25 Aug 1927

 

DISC 10

Artist                        Humphrey Lyttelton

Title                        The Onions

Composer            Bechet

Album                        Classic Live Concerts

Label                        Lake

Number            253 CD 1 Track 19

Duration             4.45 (may need to edge up on applause from end of previous track)

Performers: Humphrey Lyttelton, t; Wally Fawkes, cl; Bruce Turner, as; Johnny Parker, p; Freddie Legon, g; Mickey Ashman, b; George Hopkinson, d. Royal Festival Hall, 28 Nov 1954.

 

DISC 11

Artist                        Susannah McCorkle

Title                        I Want To Be A Sideman

Composer            Frishberg

Album                        From Broken Hearts to the Blue Skies

Label                        Concord

Number            Track 9

Duration             4,44

Performers: Susannah McCorkle, v; Dick Oatts, ts; Allen Farnham, p; Al Gafa, g; Steve Gilmour, b; Rich De Rosa, d; 1998

 

DISC 12

Artist                        Earl Bostic

Title                        Deep Purple

Composer            Parish / DeRose

Album                        Plays Jazz Standards

Label                        Definitive

Number            11295 Track 19

Duration             2.24

Performers: Earl Bostic, as; Tommy Turrentine, Blue Mitchell, t; Stanley Turrentine, ts; Edward Richley, vib; Alexnder Sample, p; Bob Bueton, b; Charles Grayson, g; Granville Hogan, d, 24 Aug 1953.

 

DISC 13

Artist                        Bill Frisell

Title                        Music I Heard

Composer            Frisell

Album                        :Rarum – Selected Recordings

Label                        ECM

Number

Duration             4.44

Performers: Bill Frisell, g; Kenny Wheeler, t; Bob Stewart, tu; Jerome Harris, b; Paul Motian.

 

 

It was good to be able to have a piece by the Spontaneous Music Ensemble in the 50th anniversary edition of Jazz Record Requests, but here’s a taste of the day we had on the South Bank as part of the London Jazz Festival covering the life and legacy of John Stevens – drummer, visionary, improviser and…well watch the video! 

Tickets now on sale for our first Buck Clayton Legacy Band gig of 2015. A new project featuring Gwyneth Herbert and members of the band!

Shipton is a treasure for British jazz as a broadcaster and the author of many fine jazz biographies, including one on Buck Clayton. The legendary trumpet player from the Swing era became the raison d’etre for a tribute band formed in 2004 by Shipton and the saxophonist Matthias Seuffert. The Buck Clayton Legacy Band played at Pizza Express commemorating one of the greatest of all jazz musicians, Duke Ellington, 40 years after his death. The eight instrumentalists played compositions by Ellington and the members of Ellingtonia, such as right-hand man Billy Strayhorn and alto player Johnny Hodges. Most of the arrangements were by Alan Barnes who is also a skilled soloist, playing a wide range of reed instruments.

Across two sets the band performed rarities (‘Stop, Look, and Listen!’, ‘Snibor’) and classics (‘Harlem Air Shaft’, ‘Happy Reunion’, ‘The Jeep Is Jumpin’’). Some of the most well-known numbers were obscured—the immortal ‘Take the “A” Train’ was almost unrecognisable—while a classic flavour was added to lesser-known pieces, such as Shady Side whose autumnal mood perfectly suited the rain outside on Dean Street and the fast-fading November sun. The highlight of the evening was a majestic performance of ‘The Mooche’, which suggested a world falling apart in every direction; it is a composition whose every single note reminds us of the importance of Ellington as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century.

Original source of the content:
Underline Magazine (by British Council Iran): http://www.britishcouncil.ir/en/underline/music/efg-london-jazz-festival

JRR anniversary show

 

 

DISC

Artist                        Miles Davis

Title                        Milestones

Composer            Davis

Album                        Complete Columbia Recirdings with John Coltrane

Label                        Columbia

Number            AC6K 65833 CD 3 Track 3

Duration             5.47

Performers: Miles Davis, t; Cannonball Adderley, as; John Coltrane, ts; Red Garland, p; Paul Chambers, b; Philly Joe Jones, d. 4 Feb 1958

 

 

DISC

Artist                        Bechet / Ladnier Quintet

Title                        If You See me Coming

Composer            Bunn

Album                        78 single

Label                        HMV

Number            SG 354 Side B

Duration             3.33

Performers            Tommny Ladnier, t; Mezz Mezzrow, cl; Teddy Bunn, g, v; Pops Foster, b; Manzie Johnson, d. 19 Dec 1938.

 

 

DISC

Artist                        Alabama Washboard Stompers

Title                        Pigmeat Stomp

Composer            ?

Album                        78 single

Label                        Vocalion

Number            1546 Side B

Duration             2.39

Performers: Jake Fenderson, kazoo; Teddy Bunn, g; Clarence Profit, p; Bruce Johnson, wb. 13 Oct 1930

 

 

DISC

Artist                        Spontaneous Music Ensemble

Title                        Travellin’ Together

Composer            Stevens

Album                        Challenge

Label                        Emanem

Number            4053 Track 6

Duration             [ 5.00]

Performers: Kenny Wheeler, t; Trevor Watts, as; Paul Rutherford, tb; Bruce Cale, b; John Stevens, d. March 1966.

 

 

DISC

Artist                        New Orleans Wanderers

Title                        Perdido Street Blues

Composer            Armstrong

Album                        n/a

Label                        Columbia

Number            608D Side A

Duration             3.10

Performers: George Mitchell (ct); Kid Ory (tb); Johnny Dodds (cl); Lil Armstrong (p); Johnny St. Cyr (bj).

 

 

Artist                         Duke Ellington

Title                         Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue

Composer             Ellington

Album                        The Complete Ellington at Newport, 1956

Label                        Columbia

Number            64932 CD 1 Track 19

Duration            7.32 

[fade up and down]

Personnel: DE, p, dir; Clark Terry, Willie Cook, Cat Anderson, Ray Nance, t; Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman, John Sanders, tb; Hamilton, Procope, Carney, Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, reeds; Jimmy Woode, b; Sam Woodyard, d. 
7 July 1956, Newport RI.

 

 

DISC

Artist                        Duke Ellington

Title                        Rose of the Rio Grande

Composer            Warren

Album                        Ella And Duke at the Cote D’Azur

Label                        Decca

Number            Track 5

Duration             3.09

Performers            Cat Anderson, Mercer Ellington, Herbie Jones, Cootie Williams (tp), Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper (tb), Chuck Connors (b-tb), Johnny Hodges (as), Russell Procope (cl, as), Jimmy Hamilton (cl, ts), Paul Gonsalves (ts), Harry Carney (cl, b-cl, bari), Duke Ellington (p), John Lamb (b), Sam Woodyard (d).  Juan-les-Pins, July 26, 1966.

 

 

DISC

Artist                        Billie Holiday

Title                        Please Don’t Talk About Me

Composer            Stept / Clare

Album                        The Complete Verve Recordings

Label                        Verve

Number

Duration             4.19

Performers            Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison (tp) Benny Carter (as) Jimmy Rowles (p) Barney Kessel (g) John Simmons (b) Larry Bunker (d) Billie Holiday (v) 23 August 1955

 

DISC

Artist                        J J Johnson

Title                        Billy Boy

Composer            trad

Album                        Complete 60s Big Band recordings

Label                        Lonehill

Number

Duration             2.53

Performers: J J Johnson…

 

 

DISC

Artist                        Stan Tracey / Bobby Wellins

Title                        Misterioso

Composer            Monk

Album                        Spectrum / Tribute to MOnk

Label                        Switch

Number            001 Track 3

Duration                         6.44

Performers                        Stan Tracey, p; Bobby Wellins, ts. 1982

 

 

DISC

Artist                        George Shearing

Title                        The Continental

Composer            Madigson / Conrad

Album                        From Battersea to Birdland

Label                        Proper

Number            Properbox 40 CD 3 Track 23

Duration             2.55

Performers: George Shearing, p; Marge Hyams, vib, Chuck Wayne, g; John Levy, b; Denzil Best, d. 1949

 

Last month saw the first of our Ellington small group concerts at the EFG London Jazz Festival: 

We’ll be doing the show again at the SJE Arts Steinway series in March.

The Buck Clayton Legacy Band is in BBC Radio 3 this week, and it is a good prior advertisement for our November concert at the London Jazz Festival with Gwyneth Herbert doing the Peggy Lee programme at Finchley Arts Depot. Hope lots of you can join us there but until then, try to catch the band on the BBC i-player, on BBC Radio 3 Jazz Line-Up.

So tonight, Saturday 28 April, is the last of the present series of Jazz Library. It’s been a great five and a bit years on BBC Radio 3, and I’ll be moving next week to Jazz Record Requests. But this show has been more fun to broadcast than anything I’ve done on radio – lovely guests, from giants like Sonny Rollins, Lee Konitz, John Scofield, John McLaughlin and Jack DeJohnette to old mates Alan Barnes, Martin Litton, Ian Smith, Gwyn Herbert, Christine Tobin, John Etheridge, Mike Pointon, Tom Sancton…the list goes on and on. So thanks to all and especially to my lovely production team who have made it such a great experience. And just so as you know what they all look like, here they are:

Back now from an excellent short tour with members of the Buck Clayton Legacy Band and Gwyneth Herbert. All the concerts went really well, with lovely singing from Gwyn and such fine playing from the band I had to keep reminding myself to go on playing and not stop to listen! The Peggy Lee songs went down a storm with the chance to re-evaluate several of them, of which What’s New and It’s Been a Long Long Time came out as my favourites, or as the lyricists for Life is For Livin; would have said, my “Faves”.

Just a week to go until the first dates in the Life Is For Living tour – see the full details on the Clayton page of this site. Great rehearsal yesterday. This is going to be fun!

Apologies for no posts since the Clayton tour and Harrow. It’s been Festival season, with 3 Radio Oxford shows and a Jazz Library from Oxford, and then 12 concerts to cover and 2 Jazz Libraries at Cheltenham. Now those Cheltenham shows are going out on Radio 3. Check out the first of them on the i-player this week with Django Bates. It’s been fun to do a programme on someone whose playing career exactly coincides with my journalistic one, so I’ve covered almost every stage of his work at the time in the newspaper. Great to hear all that spread of music again…

I had a very interesting evening at Harrow School last Thursday, adjudicating their annual big band competition, sponsored by Nick Samuel and his family, who donated the winner’s cup. Some really promising players to be heard as well as some budding composers. A good spread of repertoire too from Basie and Herman material to Miles Davis, Van Morrison and Steely Dan charts. The star player was bassist Felix Lashman. Looking forward to hearing him play again at the Royal Academy next year.

After all the excitement of the tour, and very successful gigs in Oxford, London, Birmingham and Gateshead, there’s a chance to hear part of our set from the final concert on Jazz line Up this Sunday evening. And I’ll be chatting to Kevin Le Gandre about the band and about Buck’s actual legacy of music which Matthias Seuffert arranged for us to play. Thanks to John Watson/jazzcamera.co.uk for the pic.

Just talking on the Radio 3 message board about Jabbo Smith. Here he is at the Pizza Express in 1978. The pianist is Stan Greig.

Lovely review of Hi De Ho in last Friday’s Washington Times. It was great to be in the United States last week, doing podcasts and interviews for Oxford University Press about the book, and getting some of the buzz that’s going on there. More about Hi De Ho here.

Very pleased to see the first Canadian review of the Cab Calloway book in the Winnipeg Free Press. Wade past the stuff on Kevin Whitehead’s short history to get to mine! And the US reviews have kept coming as well, with a fine piece in Commentary by Terry Teachout (whose own biography of Louis Armstrong is a mighty fine book).

Just heard that my little interview about Cab for the Oxford blog with Michelle Rafferty has gone live. You can click on it here.

If you are stuck for a Christmas present, just remember that Cab Calloway was born on Christmas Day 1907, so a very good way of celebrating his 103rd birthday is to think about ordering a copy of Hi De Ho. You can find all my books available for Christmas order here.

Just received news today of a rather good review of my Calloway book in French, by J-F Pitet, the webmaster of the excellent Hi-De-Ho blog. He’s probably the world’s most knowledgeable Calloway enthusiast, so praise from him is praise indeed!

My friend the German broadcaster Michael Rüsenberg was in the audience for my chat with Harvey Cohen, author of Duke Ellington’s America, when we discussed Cab Calloway on Monday, and he kindly sent me this photo. I’ve now participated in four or five public debates with Harvey about Duke, Billy Strayhorn, Irving Mills and other matters Ellingtonian, so it was a case of the boot being on the other foot as Harvey asked me about Cab, Blanche Calloway, Irving Mills, the Cotton Club (before and after Duke) and the world of 50s musical theatre, when Cab was a star of Porgy and Bess. More about my Cab book here – and you can click through the links to find out more about Harvey’s too.

Thanks to Nick Smart, Helen Wills and all at the Royal Academy of Music for hosting a nice launch event for the Cab Calloway book yesterday. A conspiracy of the bad weather and the Tube strike meant many of those who planned to attend could not get there, but those who did come along had the chance to hear me and Harvey Cohen (author of Duke Ellington’s America) talking about Cab. It was specially nice to meet Cab’s great niece Patrice, and to introduce her to fellow Radio 3 presenter Julian Joseph.

And finally most of all, my gratitude goes to Vicky Evernden (left) and Katie Hellier (right) who struggled up from Oxford through the ice and sleet to display and market the books!

Very heartening to see Hi De Ho listed by Liz Thomson in her selection of the best music books of the year for Christmas in the Independent. It’s the first mention in the UK national press and already the book has shot up the Amazon rankings here in the UK. Also today marks the day when it’s become available in the UK on Kindle. So what? You might say – but on several days this week, my train journey back to Oxford has revealed numerous commuters glued to their Kindle screens, so it looks like this might be the first serious e-book christmas!

So, the great Cab Calloway media circus rumbles on, ahead of the UK launch on 29th November. Latest news is my appearance on WGBO in Newark New Jersey with the amiable Andrew Meyer. This is my third appearance on his show after (firstly) the New History of Jazz in 2001, which was one of his first interviews after the 9/11 disaster, and (secondly) chatting about Jimmy McHugh last year. Sadly for me, this time it was a phone interview, but to get in the mood, here’s a picture of me and Andrew in the studios in Newark last year, courtesy of Jim McHugh III who happened to be on hand with his Nikon:

Today’s Wall Street Journal has a nice review of Hi De Ho from Will Friedwald, the author of Jazz Singing. He seems to like the musical analysis stuff, but gripes a bit about not placing Cab fully in American culture. It’s a good excuse for a gag about Groucho Marx. But as his chronology of Cab’s early years slightly garbles the story of the bands he led (he brought the Alabamians TO New York, he didn’t find them there) I wonder how closely he was paying attention. There is a half chapter about Cab’s impact on European culture and the whole cult of the “Zazous” in France. Maybe that was more significant than giving Groucho the raw material for a one-liner? Anyway, it’s good to be reviewed in so prestigious a paper and Will is very kind about my musicological stuff.

Tomorrow’s Jazz Library on BBC Radio 3 is a conversation with Martin Litton about Teddy Wilson. It’s a good connection, because Martin put me onto the MS of Teddy’s autobiography, which we published through Continuum in 1996. We both have a fondness for the Wilson piano style, which you’ll be able to hear when Martin tours with me next year in the Buck Clayton Legacy Band (watch this space for details). I heard Teddy’s trio here in Oxford in 1973 when he was playing support to Buddy Rich. That was a bit of a contrast, but I remember being close enough to the stage in the New Theatre to watch Teddy’s fingering. He was the epitome of the elegant piano stylist, even at that stage in his career.

It’s been a bit quiet since the publication of last week’s reviews of Hi De Ho, but now along comes David Schwartz on The Die Is Cast, who normally blogs about matters to do with gambling history and chance theory. He seems to like the book, though – he calls it “a masterpiece of well-researched historical biography”! Can’t do better than that…

After being dubbed “workmanlike” by the Washington Post, it was a great delight to find today’s second review of Cab Calloway by Ted Gioia, whose History of Jazz is usually stocked alongside mine in bookshops and whose book on the West Coast scene is a marvel. So if you;d like to read what Ted has to say, click here.

Long if slightly critical review of my Cab Calloway biography in today’s Washington Post. I hope most readers will find the book a bit more than workmanlike – even this reviewer said it made him want to get the records out and play them again! And you can see more about the book in the “writing”section of this site.

News just in that my latest NPR interview about Cab Calloway is now up on the web. This was a nice chat with Mark Lynch at WICN, the jazz station in New England, which I spent time listening to when I was working there a few years back. So to hook up with INQUIRY on WICN click here. And there’s stuff about the Cab book itself on the music and writing pages of this site.

19th of November at the Royal Academy of Music is going to be the BBC Radio 3 London Jazz Festival celebration of Jelly Roll Morton. Philip Martin’s playing the kind of music Jelly heard when he was growing up. Keith Nichols and the band are doing the Peppers and New Orleans Jazzmen repertoire, and I’m doing the chat and playing the bass. Tickets are free, so if you’d like to know more, click here!

Interesting multi-media concert at the Barbican last night. Some compelling music by Michael Nyman, but I got the feeling it was all variations on the same (now rather dated) theme. My review here.

This Saturday’s Jazz Library on BBC Radio 3 is a show that looks back on Barbados born trumpeter Harry Beckett who died this summer. There’ll be bits of an interview that Soweto Kinch and I did with Harry, and a lovely choice of music by Chris Batchelor, who knew Harry well and is a fellow trumpeter. My own tribute to a great player, and someone who despite being a very private man was a very giving interviewee and a warm human being.

Tomorrow’s Jazz Library is my personal tribute to wonderful Chicagoan saxophonist Fred Anderson, who died in the summer. I made the trek to the old Velvet Lounge, which has to be one of the greatest jazz clubs ever, seedy, run down, in the middle of a redevelopment area and yet full of amazing atmosphere. The bar seemed to be a relic from the repeal of prohibition and Fred presided over it all, most successfully when he stepped out from behind the bar and played his heart out on the tiny stage with all 75 members of the audience crammed into the restricted space.

The NY music blog Daily Swarm has picked up my Cab Calloway interview from last night, so if you want to hear it, then you can click on the link here. It was a pleasure to chat to John Schaefer, and also if you listen to it and you’re puzzled by the opening, I was suffering from walking briskly to the BBC a mile and a half through the autumnal murk, hence my wheezing and coughing, and this was because of the Tube strike. The previous item on WNYC had been about the musicians of the Detroit Symphony being on strike and picketing in full evening dress.

If you happen to be in the Florida area or if you are an online radio addict, then check out Mark Hayes Passing Notes on 88.9 fm Serious Jazz in the Miami area. I shall be talking to Mark this Friday at 11am EST, and he’s also put up a great selection of Calloway short movies on his blog site for the programme. Be there or be square…

I’ll be live on air in NYC tomorrow chatting to John Schaefer on Soundcheck about my Cab Calloway book. Do listen on air if you’re there or online if you’re here in the UK

To Cambridge last night for a brilliant concert by Jan Garbarek and the Hilliard Ensemble doing music from Officium Novum. I was covering it for the Times, so won’t try to review it here, but suffice it to say that that music in that setting made you realise how bleak life must have been in the past, and how such passionate, plaintive music was a way to grab the attention of the almighty…

I’ve just got my own picture and bio put up on Amazon. It’s a strange feeling to have one’s wares displayed on a virtual bookshop, but also rather gratifying to see everything there together, rather like a family photograph!

Back to St Edmund Hall this weekend for a low-key but delightful reunion of the members of the English faculty who have read the subject over the years. Interesting to find out how many former students of Eng Lit still read for pleasure and what they read. Even one of the dons shyly admitted to reading detective fiction… (Actually so do I, when I’m not immersed in reading about the life and times of Harry Nilsson). In the picture of our relatively un-alcoholic dinner, the gesturing hands behind me belong to Dr Chris Mann, and it was specially interesting to catch up with Guy Mitchell (you can’t see him in this pic) and Geoff Wall (he’s the one in the waistcoat) who translated Madame Bovary for Penguin, and who has also written a life of Flaubert (which is next on my reading list, and will make a nice change from the official biography of the Monkees.)

Just unwrapped the first advance copy of my new Cab Calloway biography from Oxford University Press. Like any proud parent I think it looks great, and Suzanne Ryan and her team at Oxford NY have done a brilliant job. There’s a positive review in Library Journal out today (scroll down til you find it under “Music”) and it is formally published in NY next month and in the UK in November.

From the quaint country decorum of Wheatley Manor circa 1660 yesterday to the Albert Hall today, (masquerading as the Queen’s Hall in 1910 it’s true,) but doing a great job of bringing one of Henry Wood’s eclectic concert programmes to life. The Concert Orchestra was on song, and the L’Arlesienne suite was particularly well played as was the new commission “Dark Pastoral” with Stephen Isserlis making the cello’s upper range sing. Some prommers looked a bit confused by hearing Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance No 4 instead of No 1 (no chance for Land of Hope and Glory there…) but it was worth it for the final G-major chord with the full organ almost drowning out the orchestra and using what must have been a 64 ft stop! Thanks to Roger Wright for a great afternoon!

Back in the UK, and a splendid celebratory evening at Wheatley Manor House exploring the Restoration of Charles II in words and music (not to mention 17th century food as well). The best bit was the last, and a selection from Playford’s songsheets, as well as more highbrow music from the likes of Pelham Humphrey. These were excellently sung by Sarah Stowe, and she was expertly accompanied on the theorbo by Matthew Spring, who also displayed his skills on the baroque guitar and the cittern. Earlier we’d had dances to the hurdy gurdy in the manor gardens, but the pastoral delights were more refined in the evening recital captured in my sneaky photograph.

Back in the 1980s, Jimmy Woode was living in Switzerland, and on a whim I asked him to come down to Ascona to talk about Ellington in the symposium I used to run there. We ended up playing together, and talking together (a lot). After that we kept in touch, and he was always a great help with anything to do with my playing. Today’s Jazz Library is a good example of one of those conversations – we demolished a bottle of Harvey’s Bristol Cream as we sat up late into the night talking about the old days…

The summer of culture continues here in S W France with a brilliant concert this weekend by the Chamber Orchestra of Toulouse. Last time I heard them here (five years ago) doing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons their period instruments with gut strings and old-style bows had trouble projecting in the vast Church of St Jacques. But this time, with the sparkling direction of first violinist Gilles Colliard they really did the business, playing music off their CD “La Follia – Italian Baroque”.

Great concert down here in SW France last night in the crypt of the Abbey Nouvelle in Leobard, by our near neighbours Gary Brooker (he of Procul Harum fame) and Judy Blair. 250 people crammed into the 13th century undercroft of the ruined abbey and some worries that in the more exciting moments the tons of stone above our heads might come thundering down! As it was it was the music that thundered, with plenty of Procul Harum repertoire revisited as well as Fats Domino and Ray Charles covers. And Gary’s voice – as amazing now as it was in 1967. (He’s the geezer in the hat).

Nice gig a couple of days ago at Issigeac with Radio 2 friend Dave Gelly and singer Annie Bright. Was supposed to be outside, but a rare drop of SW France rain pushed us into the chateau which was like an old UK village hall…

Upcoming this Saturday on Radio 3 is my interview from Gateshead International Jazz Festival 2010 with “godfather of British jazz” Stan Tracey. With such a voluminous catalogue there was no time to cover everything, but Stan was in great form reminiscing for the audience and we had to get special permission from Radio 3 to use what I suspect will be flagged up before the show as “strong language”. The interview was recorded as a prequel to the CD launch of Stan’s new CD “Later Works”, played by the Octet a bit later on that night.

It’s been a bad few weeks for deaths and I’ve been kept busy as Times obituary writer – my piece on Chris Dagley was in today, Martin Drew and Willem Breuker yet to appear.

I had a particular soft spot for Fred Anderson, founder member of the AACM and an all round good bloke, so thought I’d post this pic of us outside the late lamented Velvet Lounge, his dingy South Side club where magic happened on stage and seventy punters squeezed into what little space there was.

Looking forward to tomorrow’s Jazz Library when I’ll be joined by my old friend Tony Coe to choose just some of his best recordings. We first played together on a gig in Faversham somewhere in the mid-70s, and then he lived next door to another friend of mine in Canterbury. I had a marvellous time listening to all the music Tony suggested for the programme.

After a week off because of the proms, Jazz Library is back today with a look at the career of the late singer and pianist Shirley Horn, and I’m joined by my reviewing chum Christine Tobin. Hadn’t realised before doing the listening for this show what a fine pianist SH was.

It’s Bastille day here in S W France, so I can take the afternoon off from writing my new book about Harry Nilsson and go off to the local museum of farm machinery, where everyone’s nursing their headaches from last night’s fireworks and disco, and every scrap of old machinery is throbbing, humming and whirring. The best bit is the rural breadmaking, where they thresh the corn, mill the wheat and bake the bread on site – I can smell the enticing warm-bread aroma from my back garden.

Benny was one of the few musicians to work with both Basie and Ellington and he also played with Lionel Hampton and Randy Weston. Lots of great stories on tomorrow’s show.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00swpnl

Lovely interview with the great Benny Powell, who sadly died just a few days ago.

From the Radio 3 Website

Just back from wonderful, quaint Oxford tradition of madrigal singing on the Cherwell. Boys from Magdelen College School choir singing Dowland et al, with lovely aquatic acoustics, and a few puntloads of passing tourists becoming somewhat bemused by professional singing coming from a flotilla of floating choristers.

Follow this link to my latest article just out in the July issue – a profile of Neil Cowley. It’s under “Shipton beat” in the contents page.

Just got the most fabulous advance review for my Cab Calloway biography Hi De Ho, due out  from Oxford University Press in September. Here’s the text, and link to the book below:

“I met Cab Calloway at Eddie Condon’s club — he lit up the room by his presence and I can understand why everyone loved the man. Alyn Shipton captures Cab’s spirit in his biography Hi-De-Ho ; every page is filled with anecdotes about Cab and his music. Chu Berry, Ben Webster, and other well known musicians spring from the pages. Not only does Shipton bring Cab Calloway to life, he makes the reader understand the era in which he lived. For a short time, we enter his world, and what a world it was.” –Marian McPartland OBE

http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/CulturalStudies/AfricanAmericanStudies/?view=usa&ci=9780195141535

Great day recording today, with old Vile Bodies mate Ian Smith on the emotional subject of Bix Beiderbecke and pianist Tim Richards dissecting the career of Wynton Kelly. Both shows due later in the summer. This week it’s going to be a chat with bassist Arvell Shaw, my mentor, and the man I depped for in Lars Edegran’s band back in 2002 for a tour of north east Italy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sw92c

After many years of a simple layout the official site of Alyn Shipton, the writer & broadcaster, has been re-designed. The big difference is a news section, so expect to see updates of Jazz and music news. Other than that it now has a clean fresh look. Please do let us know what you think. You can send a comment using the contact page or leave a comment on a news article. We look forward to hearing from you!