BBC World Service Programme on James Booker

[A Lark Ascending]

Woke in the night to hear this - really interesting. Don't know his music but was intrigued, especially by a fragment of a version of 'Angel Eyes'. Think it might have gone out on BBC Radio 4 initially:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p026dcrq

The Black Liberace

Duration: 28 minutes First broadcast: Wednesday 17 September 2014

New Orleans pianist Dr John once called James Booker "the best black, gay, junkie piano player New Orleans has ever produced", but he remains little remembered outside his home city. Classically trained in piano and a child prodigy, Booker had his first hit record as a teenager, toured with the likes of Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin and played on sessions with Fats Domino and Little Richard. But it was as a solo performer that he really came into his own.

When record producer Joe Boyd met Booker at a session in the 1970s he recognised his technical virtuosity and potential to captivate an audience. He asked Booker if he'd like to record an album on his own, without a band. The pianist was cautious, but eventually agreed to record Junco Partner on one condition - he had a candelabra on the piano. The reason, he said, "cos I'm the Black Liberace baby!"

Liberace may have been one of his idols, but Booker's styles were wide and varied. He not only mastered but also transformed the New Orleans piano style mixing Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninoff with jazz, blues, stride, gospel and boogie-woogie. He played like he had four hands and made the piano sound like a whole band. But, gay at a time when homosexuality was a huge taboo and black in a divided America, Booker died alone, aged 43, after a life of drug and alcohol abuse.

Featuring interviews with Dr John who was taught by Booker, and New Orleans pianist Allen Toussaint, as well as Booker's manager John Parsons and producer Scott Billington.

Edited September 17, 2014 by A Lark Ascending

[jazztrain]

Has anyone seen this documentary?: http://www.bayoumaharajah.com/

[Stereojack]

I got to see Booker live several times during visits to New Orleans in 1979 and 1982. He was a phenominal musician, truly spontaneous and unpredictable. His reputation as a mad genius was fully on display in 79, 3 years later he appeared to have cleaned up. Came out neatly dressed with a controlled demeanor, and played his ass off once again.

There are numerous recordings of Booker available, most of them recorded live, and some probably of dubious legality, but every one of them is worthwhile.