Responding to my criticism of new digiradio station theJazz, reader Bill Owen takes me to task – “Look again, theJazz has a truly electic playlist. Just look at the top 500 tracks voted by listeners…”
So I did. Looking at the top 100 tracks, I find that Miles leads with 14 tracks. Impressive. And Coltrane has seven in the 100. So far, so good. But Louis Armstrong only has three. Ella just one.
Jamie Cullum, meanwhile, has seven tracks in the top 100. And the focus on tracks is a bit of a giveaway - anyone who favours tracks to albums – in jazz as in classical repertoire - must have a short attention span.
As expected, theJazz is finding a populist market, just like its station owners did so successfully with Classic FM. But neither rings my bell - I much prefer BBC Radio 3, for both classical and jazz programming. It’s aimed at grown-ups.
Gerry Smith
Friday 3 August 2007
Thursday 2 August 2007
New jazz radio: must try harder
After extending a cautious welcome to new jazz radio station, theJazz, and then failing to access it online, I promptly dismissed it, with the thought “they’re not trying hard enough”.
Until this morning, when I received an email inviting me to sample the new website. Nice web site. But what about the station?
I approached the improved online interface with some trepidation – would it really be jazz or the dreaded jazz-inflected lounge? The real deal or Nina Simone, Jamie Cullum et al?
The morning playlist looked promising – dozens of real jazz tracks had been played, from Louis Armstrong to Stan Getz, Artie Shaw to Billie Holiday. As my connection kicked in, Thelonious Monk’s Straight, No Chaser was half way through: no worries, they really are playing jazz!
But then: Nina Simone, followed by Jamie Cullum. Exit one ex-listener.
Why would I listen to theJazz when my PC has wall-to-wall Miles, Coltrane or Ella in iTunes?
Gerry Smith
Earlier story:
New jazz radio station – theJazz – launching later this morning
New jazz radio station theJazz starts the second phase of its launch today at 0900 BST, when Helen Mayhew launches a countdown of theJazz 500, compiled from votes cast over the past three month on www.thejazz.com
From 0600 on Tuesday 10 April, the normal programme schedule kicks in. Presenters include Mike Chadwick, David Jensen, Jamie Cullum, Ramsey Lewis, Jacqui Dankworth, Digby Fairweather, Courtney Pine and Campbell Burnap. Hmmm…
Here’s hoping the new station – available online, on DAB Digital and via satellite TV and cable – finds an audience without having to resort to 24 hour jazzpap.
The main worry is that it’s run by the people who bring you Classic FM. Now I love classical music, but wouldn’t listen to Classic-Lite FM’s brand of soothing snippets to save my life. It just ain’t music for grown-ups.
www.thejazz.com
Gerry Smith
Until this morning, when I received an email inviting me to sample the new website. Nice web site. But what about the station?
I approached the improved online interface with some trepidation – would it really be jazz or the dreaded jazz-inflected lounge? The real deal or Nina Simone, Jamie Cullum et al?
The morning playlist looked promising – dozens of real jazz tracks had been played, from Louis Armstrong to Stan Getz, Artie Shaw to Billie Holiday. As my connection kicked in, Thelonious Monk’s Straight, No Chaser was half way through: no worries, they really are playing jazz!
But then: Nina Simone, followed by Jamie Cullum. Exit one ex-listener.
Why would I listen to theJazz when my PC has wall-to-wall Miles, Coltrane or Ella in iTunes?
Gerry Smith
Earlier story:
New jazz radio station – theJazz – launching later this morning
New jazz radio station theJazz starts the second phase of its launch today at 0900 BST, when Helen Mayhew launches a countdown of theJazz 500, compiled from votes cast over the past three month on www.thejazz.com
From 0600 on Tuesday 10 April, the normal programme schedule kicks in. Presenters include Mike Chadwick, David Jensen, Jamie Cullum, Ramsey Lewis, Jacqui Dankworth, Digby Fairweather, Courtney Pine and Campbell Burnap. Hmmm…
Here’s hoping the new station – available online, on DAB Digital and via satellite TV and cable – finds an audience without having to resort to 24 hour jazzpap.
The main worry is that it’s run by the people who bring you Classic FM. Now I love classical music, but wouldn’t listen to Classic-Lite FM’s brand of soothing snippets to save my life. It just ain’t music for grown-ups.
www.thejazz.com
Gerry Smith
Monday 23 July 2007
John Coltrane celebrated
John Coltrane’s supreme legacy was celebrated on Friday in Jazz Library, BBC Radio 3’s magnificent series introducing the giants of jazz. It’s based on the deep knowledge and sympa broadcasting style of presenter Alyn Shipton.
The Coltrane programme was enriched by the articulate expertise of contemporary English saxman Soweto Kinch. Together, Shipton and Kinch chose the finest recordings from John Coltrane's huge discography. Unsurprisingly, their top recommendation was A Love Supreme (Impulse)
You can hear the programme again for 7 days after broadcast on the web via the Listen Again button:
www.bbc.co.uk/radio3
Playlist:
1. Untitled original 90314 , ARTIST: John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Coltrane, ALBUM: Classic Quartet - Complete Impulse Studio Recordings LABEL: Impulse. Personnel: John Coltrane, ts; McCoy Tyner, p; Jimmy Garrison, b; Elvin Jones, drums.
2 Lush Life, COMPOSER: Strayhorn, ALBUM: Lush Life, LABEL: Prestige
Personnel: JC, ts; Red Garland, p; Paul Chambers, b; Louis Hayes d.
3 Dial Africa, John Coltrane / Wilber Harden, COMPOSER:Harden, ALBUM: Africa (The Savoy Sessions). JC (ts) Wilber Harden, t fh; Curtis Fuller tb; Tommy Flanagan or Howard Williams, p; Alvin Jackson b, Art Taylor d.
4 Moment's notice, John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Coltrane, ALBUM: Ultimate Blue Train, LABEL: Blue Note, Rec: 15 Sept 1957. Personnel: JC, ts; Lee Morgan, t; Curtis Fuller tb; Kenny Drew, p; Paul Chambers, b; Philly Joe Jones, d. Blue
5 Epistrophy, John Coltrane with Thelonious Monk, COMPOSER: Monk, ALBUM: At Carnegie Hall, Blue Note Rec: 29 Nov 1957. Personnel: JC, ts; Monk, piano; Ahmed Abdul-Malik, b; Shadow Wilson, d.
6 Dr Jackle, ARTIST: Miles Davis, COMPOSER: McLean, ALBUM: Milestones from Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of J Miles Davis and John Coltrane, LABEL Columbia, Rec: April 3 1958 NYC
Personnel: Miles Davis t; JC tnr; Cannonball Adderley as; Red Garland, p; Paul Chambers b; Philly Joe Jones d.
7 Giant Steps, John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Coltrane, The Heavyweight Champion, Rhino, Rec: NYC May 1959
Personnel; JC, ts; Tommy Flanagan, p; Paul Chambers b; Art Taylor d.
8 My Favorite Things, John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Rodgers / Hammerstein, My Favorite Things, LABEL: Atlantic, Rec: 21 Oct 1960. Personnel: JC, ss; McCoy Tyner p; Steve Davis, b; Elvin Jones d
9 Spiritual, John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Coltrane, Live at Village Vanguard (1 Nov 1961), Impulse, Rec: 1 Nov 1961
Personnel; JC ss; Eric Dolphy bcl; McCoy Tyner p; Reggie Workman b; Elvin Jones d.
10 Chasin' the Trane, John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Coltrane, Live at Village Vanguard (1 Nov 1961), Impulse, Rec: 1 Nov 1961
Personnel; JC ts; Jimmy Garrison, b; Elvin Jones, d.
11 Alabama, John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Coltrane, Classic Quartet - Complete Impulse Studio Recordings, Impulse
Rec: 18 Nov 63, Personnel; as above but plus McCoy Tyner p.
12 Psalm (from A Love Supreme), John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Coltrane, Classic Quartet - Complete Impulse Studio Recordings. Impulse, Rec: 9 Dec 1964 Personnel: as above
Gerry Smith
The Coltrane programme was enriched by the articulate expertise of contemporary English saxman Soweto Kinch. Together, Shipton and Kinch chose the finest recordings from John Coltrane's huge discography. Unsurprisingly, their top recommendation was A Love Supreme (Impulse)
You can hear the programme again for 7 days after broadcast on the web via the Listen Again button:
www.bbc.co.uk/radio3
Playlist:
1. Untitled original 90314 , ARTIST: John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Coltrane, ALBUM: Classic Quartet - Complete Impulse Studio Recordings LABEL: Impulse. Personnel: John Coltrane, ts; McCoy Tyner, p; Jimmy Garrison, b; Elvin Jones, drums.
2 Lush Life, COMPOSER: Strayhorn, ALBUM: Lush Life, LABEL: Prestige
Personnel: JC, ts; Red Garland, p; Paul Chambers, b; Louis Hayes d.
3 Dial Africa, John Coltrane / Wilber Harden, COMPOSER:Harden, ALBUM: Africa (The Savoy Sessions). JC (ts) Wilber Harden, t fh; Curtis Fuller tb; Tommy Flanagan or Howard Williams, p; Alvin Jackson b, Art Taylor d.
4 Moment's notice, John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Coltrane, ALBUM: Ultimate Blue Train, LABEL: Blue Note, Rec: 15 Sept 1957. Personnel: JC, ts; Lee Morgan, t; Curtis Fuller tb; Kenny Drew, p; Paul Chambers, b; Philly Joe Jones, d. Blue
5 Epistrophy, John Coltrane with Thelonious Monk, COMPOSER: Monk, ALBUM: At Carnegie Hall, Blue Note Rec: 29 Nov 1957. Personnel: JC, ts; Monk, piano; Ahmed Abdul-Malik, b; Shadow Wilson, d.
6 Dr Jackle, ARTIST: Miles Davis, COMPOSER: McLean, ALBUM: Milestones from Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of J Miles Davis and John Coltrane, LABEL Columbia, Rec: April 3 1958 NYC
Personnel: Miles Davis t; JC tnr; Cannonball Adderley as; Red Garland, p; Paul Chambers b; Philly Joe Jones d.
7 Giant Steps, John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Coltrane, The Heavyweight Champion, Rhino, Rec: NYC May 1959
Personnel; JC, ts; Tommy Flanagan, p; Paul Chambers b; Art Taylor d.
8 My Favorite Things, John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Rodgers / Hammerstein, My Favorite Things, LABEL: Atlantic, Rec: 21 Oct 1960. Personnel: JC, ss; McCoy Tyner p; Steve Davis, b; Elvin Jones d
9 Spiritual, John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Coltrane, Live at Village Vanguard (1 Nov 1961), Impulse, Rec: 1 Nov 1961
Personnel; JC ss; Eric Dolphy bcl; McCoy Tyner p; Reggie Workman b; Elvin Jones d.
10 Chasin' the Trane, John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Coltrane, Live at Village Vanguard (1 Nov 1961), Impulse, Rec: 1 Nov 1961
Personnel; JC ts; Jimmy Garrison, b; Elvin Jones, d.
11 Alabama, John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Coltrane, Classic Quartet - Complete Impulse Studio Recordings, Impulse
Rec: 18 Nov 63, Personnel; as above but plus McCoy Tyner p.
12 Psalm (from A Love Supreme), John Coltrane, COMPOSER: Coltrane, Classic Quartet - Complete Impulse Studio Recordings. Impulse, Rec: 9 Dec 1964 Personnel: as above
Gerry Smith
Thursday 5 July 2007
Miles Davis: welcome innovation in bargain of the Millennium
Membran, the innovative German discount label, are breaking new ground by offering a disc of 90 Miles Davis tracks in MP3 format. The material is the pre-Columbia stuff, recorded from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s. That is: high quality acoustic jazz from the Golden Age.
The format enables you to acquire the content – as MP3 files – without missing out on an artefact to pore over. Great idea. And it’s retailing at the unmissable price of £14. Bargain of the Millennium, I’d say.
www.membran.net
Gerry Smith
The format enables you to acquire the content – as MP3 files – without missing out on an artefact to pore over. Great idea. And it’s retailing at the unmissable price of £14. Bargain of the Millennium, I’d say.
www.membran.net
Gerry Smith
Tuesday 3 July 2007
NOT Music for Grown-Ups… We All Love Ella
Universal are promoting a new Ella Fitzgerald tribute album. Glancing at the performers on track list, I’d much rather spend the time/money on the unutterably wonderful real thing…
Promo:
“Various Artists - We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song - Ella Fitzgerald was the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than half a century. In her lifetime, she won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums. Her voice was flexible, wide-ranging, accurate and ageless. She could sing sultry ballads, sweet jazz and imitate every instrument in an orchestra with unmatched rhythmic acuity and an unimpeachable sense of swing.
“Ella's 90th birthday would have been April 25th, 2007. Please join us in this year-long celebration! "We All Love Ella: Celebrating The First Lady of Song" is an Ella Tribute Album featuring a host of stars including Natalie Cole, Chaka Kahn, Gladys Knight, Diana Krall and many more.”
On reflection, you couldn’t pay me to play such an album instead of, say, the Cole Porter Songbook.
Who on Earth listens to this kind of stuff?
Gerry Smith
Promo:
“Various Artists - We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song - Ella Fitzgerald was the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than half a century. In her lifetime, she won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums. Her voice was flexible, wide-ranging, accurate and ageless. She could sing sultry ballads, sweet jazz and imitate every instrument in an orchestra with unmatched rhythmic acuity and an unimpeachable sense of swing.
“Ella's 90th birthday would have been April 25th, 2007. Please join us in this year-long celebration! "We All Love Ella: Celebrating The First Lady of Song" is an Ella Tribute Album featuring a host of stars including Natalie Cole, Chaka Kahn, Gladys Knight, Diana Krall and many more.”
On reflection, you couldn’t pay me to play such an album instead of, say, the Cole Porter Songbook.
Who on Earth listens to this kind of stuff?
Gerry Smith
Wednesday 25 April 2007
Forever Ella – fitting tribute to the First Lady of Song
Forever Ella, released in the UK on Monday and readily available as a supermarket sub-£10 impulse buy, is a fitting tribute to mark today’s 90th birthdate of the magnificent First Lady of Song.
The 20 track CD (not to be confused with an equally excellent but very different 1995 compilation of the same name – they share only three tracks) covers Ella’s main bases, with six tracks from the Cole Porter songbook and most of the other tracks from the other songbook projects, plus a couple of Louis Armstrong duets.
If you bought Gold, the wonderful last (2CD) Fitzgerald compilation, you already have half the songs on Forever Ella. On the other hand, collectors are catered for by new orchestral backing by the London Symphony Orchestra on Cry Me A River, and new remixes of the last two tracks.
Verve has developed the attractive cartoon Ella cover artwork which made Gold and the latest Ella/Louis Armstrong compilation stand out on the shelves, though they’ve changed the colour palette from blue to yellow. Gorgeous.
If you don’t possess any Ella Fitzgerald recordings, make Forever Ella your first. It’s a beauty.
Best price I’ve seen: amazon.co.uk (£8.99). If you can wait a few months, you’ll probably be able to pick it up for about £6 with the cat food and cornflakes.
Tracklist
1. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
2. Cry Me A River
3. Manhattan
4. Best Is Yet To Come
5. I Get A Kick Out Of You
6. Cheek To Cheek
7. Don't Fence Me In
8. Get Happy
9. Night And Day
10. Let's Face The Music And Dance
11. Summertime
12. Someone To Watch Over Me
13. Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)
14. They Can't Take That Away From Me
15. Let's Fall In Love
16. You Do Something To Me
17. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
18. Fine Romance
19. Wait Till You See Him
20. Angel Eyes
Gerry Smith
The 20 track CD (not to be confused with an equally excellent but very different 1995 compilation of the same name – they share only three tracks) covers Ella’s main bases, with six tracks from the Cole Porter songbook and most of the other tracks from the other songbook projects, plus a couple of Louis Armstrong duets.
If you bought Gold, the wonderful last (2CD) Fitzgerald compilation, you already have half the songs on Forever Ella. On the other hand, collectors are catered for by new orchestral backing by the London Symphony Orchestra on Cry Me A River, and new remixes of the last two tracks.
Verve has developed the attractive cartoon Ella cover artwork which made Gold and the latest Ella/Louis Armstrong compilation stand out on the shelves, though they’ve changed the colour palette from blue to yellow. Gorgeous.
If you don’t possess any Ella Fitzgerald recordings, make Forever Ella your first. It’s a beauty.
Best price I’ve seen: amazon.co.uk (£8.99). If you can wait a few months, you’ll probably be able to pick it up for about £6 with the cat food and cornflakes.
Tracklist
1. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
2. Cry Me A River
3. Manhattan
4. Best Is Yet To Come
5. I Get A Kick Out Of You
6. Cheek To Cheek
7. Don't Fence Me In
8. Get Happy
9. Night And Day
10. Let's Face The Music And Dance
11. Summertime
12. Someone To Watch Over Me
13. Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)
14. They Can't Take That Away From Me
15. Let's Fall In Love
16. You Do Something To Me
17. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
18. Fine Romance
19. Wait Till You See Him
20. Angel Eyes
Gerry Smith
Tuesday 24 April 2007
The best of early Miles Davis, 1949-61
Jazz Library, the excellent new Friday night series on BBC Radio 3, managed to last about two months without featuring Miles, but eventually succumbed last week with a lovely programme analysing the recordings of Davis, 1949-61.
Presenter Alyn Shipton drew on the innumerable insights of fellow trumpeter Guy Barker for the discussion of the Gil Evans collaborations, and broadcaster Brian Morton for the later material. I’m already looking forward to the inevitable Jazz Library sequels covering later Miles recordings.
The Jazz Library series is a revelation - a fine intro for beginners exploring the best of the back catalogue.
You can hear this fine programme via the web until this Friday:
www.bbc.co.uk/radio3
Running order:
* All Blues
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and John Coltrane
* Boplicity
Album Birth of the Cool
* Blues for Pablo
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and Gil Evans
* Studio Discussion
Artist Miles Davis / Gil Evans
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and Gil Evans
* Springsville (overdub take 1)
Artist Miles Davis / Gil Davis
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and Gil Evans
* Bess You Is My Woman Now
Artist Miles Davis / Gil Evans
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and Gil Evans
* Solea
Artist Miles Davis / Gil Evans
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and Gil Evans
* Diner Au Motel
Album L'Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud
* Straight No Chaser
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and John Coltrane
* Oleo
Artist Miles Davis
Album In Person: Friday and Saturday Nights at the Blackhawk Complete
* So What
Artist Miles Davis / Gil Evans Orchestra
Album Miles Davis at Carnegie Hall
* Some Day My Prince Will Come
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and John Coltrane
Gerry Smith
Presenter Alyn Shipton drew on the innumerable insights of fellow trumpeter Guy Barker for the discussion of the Gil Evans collaborations, and broadcaster Brian Morton for the later material. I’m already looking forward to the inevitable Jazz Library sequels covering later Miles recordings.
The Jazz Library series is a revelation - a fine intro for beginners exploring the best of the back catalogue.
You can hear this fine programme via the web until this Friday:
www.bbc.co.uk/radio3
Running order:
* All Blues
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and John Coltrane
* Boplicity
Album Birth of the Cool
* Blues for Pablo
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and Gil Evans
* Studio Discussion
Artist Miles Davis / Gil Evans
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and Gil Evans
* Springsville (overdub take 1)
Artist Miles Davis / Gil Davis
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and Gil Evans
* Bess You Is My Woman Now
Artist Miles Davis / Gil Evans
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and Gil Evans
* Solea
Artist Miles Davis / Gil Evans
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and Gil Evans
* Diner Au Motel
Album L'Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud
* Straight No Chaser
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and John Coltrane
* Oleo
Artist Miles Davis
Album In Person: Friday and Saturday Nights at the Blackhawk Complete
* So What
Artist Miles Davis / Gil Evans Orchestra
Album Miles Davis at Carnegie Hall
* Some Day My Prince Will Come
Album Complete Columbia Studio Recordings of Miles Davis and John Coltrane
Gerry Smith
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