Not that Kate, and not that Queen either

[Serial_Apologist]

Sat 16 April
4.00 Jazz Record Requests
Alyn Shipton with listeners' personal music picks, including a classic jazz vocal version of Don't Fence Me In featuring singer Velma Middleton

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

5.00 Jazz Line-Up
In the show's regular Inside the Mind feature British-Asian bassist Shez Raja provides insights into his approach to music-making. And there's a live session from pianist and composer Alan Benzie, who in 2007 became Radio Scotland's first Young Jazz Musician of the Year

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0770fsf

12.00 Geoffrey Smith's Jazz
Geoffrey Smith revisits some of Duke Ellington's most evocative compositions. Music includes pieces inspired by the Deep South, the Far East, Shakespeare and the Queen. Repeat

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0770ghs

Mon 18 Apr
11.00 Jazz Now
Soweto Kinch presents the Ralph Alessi Quartet and Weather Report drummer Peter Erskine

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b075fxr8

Also worthy of note:

Tues 19 Spr
11.00 Late Junction
Saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings brings presenter Nick Luscombe some of the records he is listening to at the moment.

(But is he a vinyl freak??? - this is the burning question of the moment: see reports that youngsters of today are buying LPs, not to listen to the music, but to display on their bedroom walls! Now, in my day , it was... )

[Ian Thumwood]

S-A

Strange that the new "Jazz Now" programme seems to have elicited such little comment. Having listened to the two programmes it is nice to have a change from Jez's superlative-ridden programme which was strangely irritating. The new programme seems very much in the "friendly" vein of Jazz Line Up but I think that Soweto Kinch comes across as a really affable presenter. I am really impressed with him and the section with Patrick Cornelius in the musical workshop was fascinating. He is a new name to me and I felt that there was almost another entertaining programme within this conversation. Cornelius's music was also a welcome change from the "cutting edge / jazz with rock attitude" stuff that Jez often favoured. It was right in the mainstream and very much the kind of jazz that got over-looked. This segment of the programme was indicative of the kind of serious analysis and discussion that has been missing since Jazz File. That element of the programme was very impressive.

I also liked the Malija session and thought that Al Ryan offered a new perspective of discussing jazz that was more down-to-earth. Much better than Jez's style. The British trio were pretty good (Liam Noble is always worth listening to) but I was less impressed by Bugge Wesseltoft. The opening track sounded a lot like Bill Evans but then the music mutated in to something that was more akin to "Conversations with Daleks" as opposed to "Conversations with myself." Not my bag, I'm afraid.

The record reviews were a bit brief but it was a masterstroke to invince John Etheridge to review the releases by Bill Frisell and Ben Monder. Can't say I share the enthusiasm for the Frisell effort. I would have liked to have heard more of one track than snippets of a number of them. The sax and drum duo were alright even if the music seemed to stray in to Jazz Line Up territory.

The only down side for me was the presenter Emma Smith, who I had never heard of but I understand sings with Jamie Cullum's big band and is a Puppini Sister. In the former case, I have probably heard her perform live. I wonder how well she will go down with the older audience or whether her question intonation is an attempt to appeal to the "yoof?" Seems odd having a jazz programme presented by someone that young and who had probably not even started school when EST started. It would be interesting to see how she resonated with the older listener on this message-board. She was a bit like a juvenile version of Claire Martin.

Shame that Brian Morton wasn't invited back agauin but I assume he is busy following East Fife or whatever obscure Scottish football tema he supports.

[Serial_Apologist]

Ian - I fell asleep while Jazz Now was on, and haven't since managed to make up sufficient time to give it another listen. And I will. But what you say concurs pretty much with my limited impressions, so far.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Elmo Hope's '59 trio (Bond et Butler) on JRR AND Monk avec Mulligan,

Itza all right with me...

BN.

[Serial_Apologist]

Elmo Hope trio (Bond et Butler) on JRR AND Monk avec Mulligan,

Itza all right with me...

BN.

I'd forgotten that collab since schooldays. I remember us all thinking, that's like putting a fire out by sprinkling flour on it. What a bunch of hard bop hard nuts we were! But it does, actually, work!

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

I'd forgotten that collab since schooldays. I remember us all thinking, that's like putting a fire out by sprinkling flour on it. What a bunch of hard bop hard nuts we were! But it does, actually, work!

There's a nice line from Richard Cook on Monk/Mulligan, "Monk darts in and out like a tailor's needle, cross stitching counter melodies and abstract figures". Wilbur Ware is also great.

BN.

[Serial_Apologist]

There's a nice line from Richard Cook on Monk/Mulligan, "Monk darts in and out like a tailor's needle, cross stitching counter melodies and abstract figures". Wilbur Ware is also great.

BN.

Kenton's Quintile on now. We talked about that track a while back.

[Jazzrook]

SJRA

Strange that the new "Jazz Now" programme seems to have elicited such little comment. Having listened to the two programmes it is nice to have a change from Jez's superlative-ridden programme which was strangely irritating. The new programme seems very much in the "friendly" vein of Jazz Line Up but I think that Soweto Kinch comes across as a really affable presenter. I am really impressed with him and the section with Patrick Cornelius in the musical workshop was fascinating. He is a new name to me and I felt that there was almost another entertaining programme within this conversation. Cornelius's music was also a welcome change from the "cutting edge / jazz with rock attitude" stuff that Jez often favoured. It was right in the mainstream and very much the kind of jazz that got over-looked. This segment of the programme was indicative of the kind of serious analysis and discussion that has been missing since Jazz File. That element of the programme was very impressive.

I also liked the Malija session and thought that Al Ryan offered a new perspective of discussing jazz that was more down-to-earth. Much better than Jez's style. The British trio were pretty good (Liam Noble is always worth listening to) but I was less impressed by Bugge Wesseltoft. The opening track sounded a lot like Bill Evans but then the music mutated in to something that was more akin to "Conversations with Daleks" as opposed to "Conversations with myself." Not my bag, I'm afraid.

The record reviews were a bit brief but it was a masterstroke to invince John Etheridge to review the releases by Bill Frisell and Ben Monder. Can't say I share the enthusiasm for the Frisell effort. I would have liked to have heard more of one track than snippets of a number of them. The sax and drum duo were alright even if the music seemed to stray in to Jazz Line Up territory.

The only down side for me was the presenter Emma Smith, who I had never heard of but I understand sings with Jamie Cullum's big band and is a Puppini Sister. In the former case, I have probably heard her perform live. I wonder how well she will go down with the older audience or whether her question intonation is an attempt to appeal to the "yoof?" Seems odd having a jazz programme presented by someone that young and who had probably not even started school when EST started. It would be interesting to see how she resonated with the older listener on this message-board. She was a bit like a juvenile version of Claire Martin.

Shame that Brian Morton wasn't invited back agauin but I assume he is busy following East Fife or whatever obscure Scottish football tema he supports.

Agree with much of what you say about 'Jazz Now'. I was hoping for another 'Impressions' type of programme so was rather disappointed.
Brian Morton would have been an asset but I've heard he's in poor health and disenchanted with the BBC & Radio 3.
Soweto Kinch is a competent and knowledgeable presenter and no doubt 'Jazz Now' will improve given time.

JR

[Ian Thumwood]

Agree with much of what you say about 'Jazz Now'. I was hoping for another 'Impressions' type of programme so was rather disappointed.
Brian Morton would have been an asset but I've heard he's in poor health and disenchanted with the BBC & Radio 3.
Soweto Kinch is a competent and knowledgeable presenter and no doubt 'Jazz Now' will improve given time.

JR

The programme seemed best when the music was allowed to do the talking.

It is quite interesting to see where the programme is being pitched. The live set idea doesn't make a lot of difference really. It is good to see the back of Jez as I found him to be chasing the "jazz and beyond" crowd too much. "Jazz Now" does seem to have realigned the music back towards a mainstream. From my point of view, Jazz on 3 was a bit narrow-minded and never appreciated the broader picture whereas Jazz Line Up has strode a pretty conservative path and concentrated too heavily on UK and European acts. After 2 programmes, I think 2/3rds of the presenters represent an improvement but hope that future record reviews don't just play samples as you can find this facility on Amazon.

I must admit that I was anticipating a generation divide with the opinions of the programme as I find it difficult to accept younger presenters who are younger in years than the time I have spent following artists like Bill Frisell, for example. Soweto's more musical assessment is really welcome as far as I am concerned and this is a massive plus but I would not want to see record reviews being dealt with in the glib manner of Jamie Cullum. It made a refreshing change and I would welcome a more encompassing assessment of the whole jazz palette that addressed the failings of Jez's programme including post-bop and big band jazz.

[PUSB]

I found this week's "Jazz Now" easy to listen to (Ralph Allessi was good - the interview with Peter Erskine was reasonably interesying) and I think Soweto Kinch is a vast improvement on Jez Nelson.

[Old Grumpy]

I found this week's "Jazz Now" easy to listen to (Ralph Allessi was good - the interview with Peter Erskine was reasonably interesying) and I think Soweto Kinch is a vast improvement on Jez Nelson.

Listening now - so far, so good!

OG

[Ian Thumwood]

I listened to the Ralph Alessi set too and really enjoyed it. He is a musician I had previously felt a bit ambiguous about and not assisted by a really bad review that I read of one of his ECM releases. Curious to see that ECM seems to be changing tack a bit and feauring more American groups. The new Avishai Cohen disc sounds rather good by the samples I had heard and the previews for the new Jack DeJohnette disc promises something far more kicking than you would have expected from ECM. It had been difficult not to be tempted to compare Manfred Eicher with Arsene Wenger in that their past glories were now someway in the past and attempts to convince otherwise rang a bit hollow. It is quite intriguing how many of the ECM artists seem more uninhibited outside of the studio. Eicher seems to appreciate a more rarified and meditative approach to his music and you sense that there is a fear that allowing the musicians to break too loose in the studio will ensure that the musicians lose focus. I used to love ECM's releases but the tendency for melancholy means that I frequently ignore what they put out these days. The Alessi concert was interesting and I wonder how the live session contrasted with the recording.

Got to agree that Soweto keeps out of the way with the intros and discussions. I much prefer this to Jez's irritating habit of using superlatives all the time. Nice to see the programme actually shift more towards the jazz mainstream as opposed to the "beyond" element which I think only serves to weaken the format. I agree that jazz is a broad church but sometimes Jez was guilty of celebrating stuff that was just too obscure.

[Old Grumpy]

Got to agree that Soweto keeps out of the way with the intros and discussions. I much prefer this to Jez's irritating habit of using superlatives all the time. Nice to see the programme actually shift more towards the jazz mainstream as opposed to the "beyond" element which I think only serves to weaken the format. I agree that jazz is a broad church but sometimes Jez was guilty of celebrating stuff that was just too obscure.

Agreed. I can deal with a little bit of the beyond stuff, but not a whole programme's worth! A programme featuring contemporay jazz in all its diversity is much more appealing.

OG