BBC 4 TV (UK) Music

[A Lark Ascending]

A couple of nice ones tonight

8.00 In their Own Words: 20thC Composers - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03xswbn

9.00 The Byrd Who Flew Alone: The TRiumphs and Tragedy of Gene Clark - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03tdd6k

[A Lark Ascending]

Another two to look forward to this Friday 28th March (well, for those of us with rock/folk alter egos):

9.00 Robert Plant: By Myself http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vy78w

10.00 The Genius of Bert Jansch: Folk Blues and Beyond http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03tdd6m

Pity about the 'Genius' hyperbole. I'd have preferred "The Jolly Good Music of Bert Jansch".

******************

And then in early April (swapping to the classical hat):

The Music That Made Britain - Patriotism, Pleasure And Perfection In The 18th century:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2014/14/the-music-that-made-britain.html

Edited March 22, 2014 by A Lark Ascending

[A Lark Ascending]

Seems the above 18thC thing got rebranded - "Rule Britannia! Music, Mischief And Morals In The 18th Century"

First episode was very enjoyable. Standard BBC popular history - an attractive presenter wanders around modern London telling the tale with inserts of contemporary paintings and prints, interviews and short musical performances.

Could have done without the demonstration of the surgical tool used to create castrati!

Worth catching on the replayer.

Edited April 8, 2014 by A Lark Ascending

[sidewinder]

When will they have some flamin' jazz on again instead of all this damby-pamby stuff?

Edited April 8, 2014 by sidewinder

[A Lark Ascending]

When they discover a 'line' to promote it to a wider audience. The theme here (well, one of the themes...the main one was about the construction of a British identity in the wake of the Hanoverian accession against the Jacobite threat) was that celebrity, over the top stars and groupies were not a 20th/21st century invention.

Someone needs to think up a 'narrative' for jazz beyond the "troubled genius with one or layers of skin less than normal mortals, requiring a life of introspections supported by substance abuse" to hang future programmes on.

[A Lark Ascending]

Second programme of 'Rule Britannia' was excellent - the emergence of 'public' concerts. Things I'd come across in bits but put together coherently here. Very engaging programme.

Friday night is all Jimi Hendrix. Not sure if I've seen the documentary before.

Hear My Train A-Comin'

[sidewinder]

Second programme of 'Rule Britannia' was excellent - the emergence of 'public' concerts. Things I'd come across in bits but put together coherently here. Very engaging programme.

Friday night is all Jimi Hendrix. Not sure if I've seen the documentary before.

Hear My Train A-Comin'

That bit about Handel appearing in concerts in a requisitioned coal bunker in Clerkenwell was intriguing !

[A Lark Ascending]

I liked watching Suzy Klein trying to do a minuet.

[sidewinder]

I liked watching Suzy Klein trying to do a minuet.

In the Bath Assembly Rooms? Last time I was in there I think was to see Martial Solal in solo recital. They were serving wine from the glass too - very civilised.

[A Lark Ascending]

Been in the main room a couple of times - the Jerusalem Quartet doing Haydn (very much in keeping with the surroundings) and Bartok (perhaps not!). And in a smaller room for Bobo Stenson and Keith Tippett (not together!).

[sidewinder]

Last time I saw Keith Tippett (avec brick) was at the Guildhall I think.

[A Lark Ascending]

Not BBC 4 but as it is likely to only have any relevance for Brits I thought I'd put it here:

In Pictures: 50 landmark BBC Two shows

There a bit of jazz there!

Edited April 20, 2014 by A Lark Ascending

[sidewinder]

Blimey - Percy Thower and Barbara Woodhouse. Blast from the past ! And very young messrs Paxo, Hislop and Merton. Not exactly much in the way of 'highlights' after 2000 though - more like 'low-lights'.

That 'Jazz 625' photo above is of the one with Tubby Hayes, Jimmy Deuchar, Alan Ganley etc. of course.

Edited April 20, 2014 by sidewinder

[Leeway]

"WALK-EEZE!!"

"Orallies Men"

" I am from Barcelona....I learned it...in a book!"

[sidewinder]

Not BBC 4 but as it is likely to only have any relevance for Brits I thought I'd put it here:

In Pictures: 50 landmark BBC Two shows

There a bit of jazz there!

Big jazz-quotient on the BBC2 50 Years Sports highlights show tonight. I recognised recordings by Lonnie Smith, Big John Patton and Jimmy Smith/Oliver Nelson as backing for the old B&W sports clips.

Edited April 20, 2014 by sidewinder

[sidewinder]

Some Jazz 625 clips on BBC4 tonight - the Telegraph have a short article on it today:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/10850293/Jazzs-golden-age-at-the-BBC.html

[sidewinder]

More jazz on BBC4 tonight. Wynton and LCO play Blue Note in Harrogate (!) and tomorrow night - the Blue Note Records documentary and another run for Brubeck's 'Jazz 625'.

Some interesting tune selections from Wynton and co - Inner Urge, Riot, Blues Walk..

Edited May 29, 2015 by sidewinder

[A Lark Ascending]

Nearly 12 hours and no foaming outrage at the use of the W word! Amazing.

Didn't notice the Blue Note doc in the Radio Times - thanks for that. Will watch.

[sidewinder]

The Wynton concert was pretty good I thought (and I'm no major fan) - some nice arrangements of Blue Note Material, well played and enthusiastically received by the burghers of Harrogate. anyone notice that arrangement of Redd/McLean 'The Thespian' on the music stand - wish they had broadcast that.

I guess that this couple of days is what counts as BBC4s 'jazz feature' offering to us plebs for this year. Minimum advance warning, low profile, no new Jazz 625s etc. Why the heck didn't they get round to broadcasting the Tubby Hayes stuff that is supposedly in the vault?

Edited May 30, 2015 by sidewinder

[BillF]

I saw the Marsalis orch doing the Blue Note programme at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester last summer. The most bored, uninspired bunch of musicians I've seen for many a year and that includes everything from visiting American stars to local players. Such a pity, as buried in this soporific outfit were swingers like Ryan Kisor and Ted Nash - who of course get nice, dependable paychecks as members of this easy listening ensemble. All very suited to the burghers of Harrogate, I suppose. The people at the Bridgewater Hall certainly weren't a jazz audience and seemed very happy with what they heard. The other night I saw Dave Liebman with a Swiss trio playing superlative music. They drew an audience of 50. Marsalis got 1,000. Regrettable.

Edited May 30, 2015 by BillF

[Jazzjet]

I guess that this couple of days is what counts as BBC4s 'jazz feature' offering to us plebs for this year. Minimum advance warning, low profile, no new Jazz 625s etc. Why the heck didn't they get round to broadcasting the Tubby Hayes stuff that is supposedly in the vault?

My hope is that BBC 4 are waiting until later in the year when the Tubby Hayes documentary (A Man In A Hurry) comes out. This is due at the end of October 2015. I think I read somewhere that there are plans to show it on BBC 4 so that would be an ideal opportunity to show the 1966 Jazz Goes To College broadcast. I hope I'm not imagining that.

[sidewinder]

Let's hope ! Wasn't there also talk of a Wayne Shorter documentary? They were filming part of that at the Barbican performance a year or so back and I have been waiting for mention of that one ever since.

[sidewinder]

That Blue Note documentary was one of the most maddening jazz docs ever - storyline jumped all over the place as if the producer had ADD. On the other hand, it was interesting to hear from Alfred Lion's wife/former wife and there were some pricecless interview clips of some sadly now departed musicians. Not to mention footage of M. Cuscuna interviewed in the Mosaic warehouse surrounded by black boxes !

Why the heck was the speed of the Brubeck 625 sound all over the place, when this one had supposedly been 'restored'? Jeez....!

Edited May 31, 2015 by sidewinder

[A Lark Ascending]

Agree about the doc...seemed like an attempt to do something "poetic" rather than tell a narrative or analyse the qualities of the label. More about restating myths and appealing to Blue Note chic than anything else. Nice to hear the music, see the musicians (and hear them talk) and covers etc but overall didn't leave you any the wiser.

When was it made? Seemed to rely on the 80s/90s for footage. No mention of the post-Norah era...but that does not fit the myth. Either it was made before that or it was excluded.

It did make me play a Jackie McLean record afterwards!

Edited May 31, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[sidewinder]

When was it made? Seemed to rely on the 80s/90s for footage.

Abouyt 1996/97 I think - when the Bruce Lundvall era Blue Note was on a roll and the Conn reissue series was at its height.

Edited May 31, 2015 by sidewinder