It’s easy to criticise the BBC for not putting more jazz on radio and TV but whilst the quantity of programmes may be questioned, the quality of their jazz output remains consistently high. Saturday’s edition of J to Z, hosted by the excellent Julian Joseph, was public service broadcasting at its very best – achieving all three of its Reithian objectives in being informative, educational and entertaining as well as, at times, carrying a powerful emotional charge.
The programme began with a nicely choreographed playlist which included the French-Malagasy pianist Mathis Picard, the epic sweep of Okan, an impressive Zoe Rahman (recorded at the recent London Jazz Festival) and the gorgeous sounds of a band led by Brazilian bass player Gili Lopes. But this edition of J to Z was in fact a show within a show as at around the fifty-five minute mark, we were treated to an interview with the sax legend Charles Lloyd. The 85 year-old, Memphis-born master of his craft gave us a concise but rich rear view mirror tour of his life, coloured by words of wisdom and sounds of greatness as he talked of his guiding lights as a musician and as a man.
His choice of music was impeccable; each piece illustrating the evolution of the jazz that was most important to him – Lester Young playing “These Foolish Things”, Billie Holiday singing “I Love You Porgy”, Charlie Parker’s “Embraceable You” and Coltrane giving us the haunting “Crescent” – each of these pioneers standing on the shoulders of their predecessors as the art form grew in sophistication. In his early years he’d spent time playing with the blues titan Howlin’ Wolf, whom he remembered as rough, tough and charismatic and so we heard the crunching “Smokestack Lighting.” Also included on his list of ‘private passions’ was the profound and noble Prelude from Bach’s first Cello Suite 1 played by János Starker, which Lloyd associated with ten years of what he described as “sabbatical” and “deep solitude” at Big Sur on the coast of California.
His love for these artists was heartfelt, but his analysis of what they communicated to us remained clear-minded, insightful and wonderfully eloquent. He spoke of Charlie Parker’s spirit flying high above the Manhattan skyline blessing us with his flights into paradise, of the poetry of Lester Young, of Billie’s gift of direct connection and Coltrane infusing jazz music with a new-found spirituality. All of them sang of their dreams and this had given him inspiration and consolation for which he was grateful. It had been his life’s mission to make the same contribution; sharing the healing, transformative power of music to help others rise above sadness and man’s inhumanity in order to make a better world – as he said, “the winds of grace are always blowing, we must set our sails high.”
In a fitting conclusion, Julian introduced Zoe Rahman’s final number from her London Jazz Festival set; chosen, as she said, because of “all that’s going on right now…” – called “Peace”. I’m sure Charles Lloyd would have approved.
The show, produced by Thomas Rees, a Somethin’ Else production for BBC Radio 3, is available via BBC Sounds for another 28 days. I can’t think of a better way to spend your time.
