Here's the Brexit Diehl: keep your Aaron, travel Ryan, and you'll get your Oscar

[Serial_Apologist]

Sat Jan 26
4pm - Jazz Record Requests

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

5pm - J to Z
UK sextet Hexagonal have a personal connection to the great pianist/composers McCoy Tyner and Bheki Mseleku; saxophonist Jason Yarde worked with Tyner, while pianist John Donaldson and bassist Simon Thorpe toured with Mseleku (1955-2008), a key figure on the South African scene. Hexagonal perform live. The programme also features the second part of an interview in which bass guitarist Marcus Miller reflects on some of the tracks that have inspired him throughout his career, including music by Weather Report and Herbie Hancock. And presenter Kevin Le Gendre plays a classic tracks [sic] and the cream of the new releases.

The fact that RT write-ups are getting longer and longer must mean the programmes are becoming more interesting!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00027cd

12midnight - Geoffrey Smith's Jazz
Renowned for his solo virtuosity, pianist Oscar Peterson (1925-2007) was also esteemed as an inspiring accompanist. Geoffrey Smith presents the musician in star partnerships with Billie Holiday, Lester Young, Stan Getz and Count Basie.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00027cn

Mon 28 Jan
11pm - Jazz Now
Soweto Kinch presents Cecile McLorin Salvant in concert with the Aaron Diehl Trio. Al Ryan talks to Bugge Wesseltoft, Dan Berglund and Magnus Ostrom about their new project Rymden.

Should be right up Ian's street!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00027lp

Anyone have views about last week's Andy Sheppard, by the way? Or do you share mine?

[Old Grumpy]

Anyone have views about last week's Andy Sheppard, by the way? Or do you share mine?

Dunno, S_A - still about 18 days behind in my "catch-up" listening!

[Serial_Apologist]

Dunno, S_A - still about 18 days behind in my "catch-up" listening!

You might just find yourself catching up more quickly than you'd expected, OG!

[Ian Thumwood]

I really liked the Hexagonal track played on J-Z the other week and appreciated it's visceral qualities. It is interesting to hear bands that are not afraid to swing and build up a level of intensity. I felt the same with the McBride gig earlier this week. The SEED ensemble also sounded like they were worthwhile investigating. A review of their record on All about Jazz was pretty fulsome about the newer generation of Black musicians in the UK jazz scene and strongly hinted at a level of creativity unheard of since the 1980's. This more "orthodox" stuff is the kind of jazz that appeals to me and maybe a backlash against the kind of drive towards "jazz based music" and the kind of comments made by musicians from 2000 onwards who were desperate to disassociate themselves with the word "jazz." Tastes seem to always come full circle and I hope that the broad consensus in jazz turns towards those elements which have traditionally made the music so vital. It has been a bit galling reading reviews where musicians seem really proud to have been part of David Bowie's backing band as opposed to contributing to one of Dave Douglas's stellar quintets.

I have seen both Diehl and Salvant perform in the past and also have some quite strong opinions about their work and I will find it interesting to see whether there is a consensus on them next week. Since the 1990s the piano trio has been dominated by Brad Meldau and various European interpretations of this format and the contrast between Diehl and Wesseltoft are polar opposites. It is nice to see other approaches to jazz piano now muscling in and getting more attention. Diehl is very much "in the tradition" and was much fancied by Calum on this site in the past.

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks to Alyn for re-organising his JRR website - if only to pacify my mind, which was obsessing over whether or not it had become long enough to reach from Lands End to John O'Groats!

[Old Grumpy]

Cracking track at the end of JRR. Reminded me I had a copy of Gwil's album "Perception" from way back when. Fished it out and am listening now.

Never twigged before, it also features the great Stan Sulzmann

Double

Also enjoy J to Z, especially Marcus Miller's reflections.
OG

[Jazzrook]

Cracking track at the end of JRR. Reminded me I had a copy of Gwil's album "Perception" from way back when. Fished it out and am listening now.

Never twigged before, it also features the great Stan Sulzmann

Double

Also enjoy J to Z, especially Marcus Miller's reflections.
OG

Unusually, I also enjoyed J to Z this week. Kevin Le Gendre seems to make a vast improvement to the programme.
Has he been made permanent presenter?

JR

[Old Grumpy]

One of them, it would seem, JR, together with Jumoke Fashola.

OG

[Serial_Apologist]

One of them, it would seem, JR, together with Jumoke Fashola.

OG

I must say though I find Jumoke a warm and vibrant presenter: her presence at this years LJF in the Festival Hall, in full flowing African dress and head scarf, was magnetic.

I also have to admit to having enjoyed Marcus Miller's presentation of his favourites. I learned that that end-of-phrase vibrato or "shake" is enabled by the fretless model of bass guitar, which I hadn't known before. Having said all that I can almost feel Ian cringing down there, somewhere in the wilds of Hampshire!

[Ian Thumwood]

I picked up the jazz on the radio coming out of the match between Winchester v Cirencester and the first thing I heard was the Simcock track. I missed the announcement and had no idea who was playing but concur with the previous comment that this was an incredible track. I was mesmerised by that performance which was pretty terrific.

Got to say that I though J-Z was fantastic last night. Hexagonal were right in the money and it is good to see a full-on jazz group getting some proper attention as opposed to the wishy-washy stuff so favoured by JLU. This is one of the best British bands I have heard for a while. Absolutely brilliant. I also liked the big band track which reminded me somewhat of Loose Tubes. Good to hear that record. The interview with Marcus Miller was interesting and I have both the WR and Herbie discs he played. I just feel that WR are really influenced to an extent by big band orchestration. The Herbie track is fantastic but I like the whole of the "Thrust " album. With regard to the Stanley Clarke track, I get MM's comments but I find that kind of stuff vacuous . I am glad fusion generally passed me by and whilst here are some things which I don't mind from that era, I have never really liked SC's playing wither live or on record.

[Alyn_Shipton]

Did you not all hear the full concert by Hexagonal and the extended interview on Jazz Now in December 2017? https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09hvt8h

[Old Grumpy]

You might just find yourself catching up more quickly than you'd expected, OG!

Catching up now...

...enjoying the music!


I think this London Jazz News review of their album Perfectly Unhappy probably has it about right on the basis of this hearing or their work (I have not heard the CD). Perhaps not "out there", but carefully crafted and very pleasant to listen to, and perhaps better for it.

OG

P.S. Could do without the rattle of plates and cutlery...

... but I guess that's part of the deal at Pizza Express!

[Serial_Apologist]

Catching up now...

...enjoying the music!


I think this London Jazz News review of their album Perfectly Unhappy probably has it about right on the basis of this hearing or their work (I have not heard the CD). Perhaps not "out there", but carefully crafted and very pleasant to listen to, and perhaps better for it.

OG

P.S. Could do without the rattle of plates and cutlery...

... but I guess that's part of the deal at Pizza Express!

I've only once been to the Dean St Pizza Express, and that was to see Norma Winstone. It was a very odd experience. I had expected to pay something on the door. Instead I was ushered to a table, around a corner and a long way from the performance to come, where I was told that because I hadn't pre-booked, I might expect to be joined by others of the same status. Just before the band started, another man came and sat at my table. That was it - I did try and engage him in meaningless conversation, but he was not the conversating type. I ordered a pint of something, but the waiter just walked off without asking me to pay. At the end of the evening I got up, and seem to remember going to a cashier near the entrance, where I paid about £25. A while later I happened to mention this to Norma, apologising for not having had the chance to come up for a chat, and she said, "You had to pay that much? I'm so sorry, I hadn't realised it was that expensive". Obviously I was at pains to point out that it was not her fault, and I had enjoyed the evening in every other respect! But I haven't been back there since.

[Alyn_Shipton]

But then S-A isn't the point of programmes like Jazz Now that you don't have to cycle into Soho, sit in a dark corner with uncommunicative strangers and pay for the privilege? The programme has broadcast a wide variety of material from Pizza Express - Ralph Alessi, Dave Douglas, Christian Sands, Hess AC Hess, Girls at Airports, John Surman/Karin Krog, Carla Bley, and more... For the record, IMHO, the best London jazz club in which to play (and I first recorded there pre-expansion in 1977, and have played there over the years with Lennie Felix, Herbie Hall, Benny Waters, Gwyneth Herbert a.o., and was last there in December with Chris Barber and then Julia Biel) and to listen - not least as the current sound engineer is consistent and excellent.

[Old Grumpy]

One of them, it would seem, JR, together with Jumoke Fashola.

OG

And indeed, Julian Joseph (of Jazz Lineup fame) - how could I forget that?

OG