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
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