[Dixielandjazz] "Trad Jazz Britannia" BBC 4 TV - Friday 24th May @ 9PM

[john petters]

Greetings folks,
Here's the BBC release about the documentary in which I contributed a
few months back, on Traditional Jazz. It is called "Trad Jazz Britannia"
and goes out on BBC FOUR, 9pm, Friday 24th May 2013. It was originally
scheduled for 17th May, but they are doing a programme about Rock'n'Roll
on that date.

The BBC were planning to interview Kenny Ball, but did not do so before
he passed away. They did interview the late Terry Lightfoot.

Here's the BBC release:
"Trad Jazz Britannia

Post-War Britain’s infatuation with New Orleans Jazz.

With rare 78rpm imports as their only guide, a generation of amateur
jazz enthusiasts created a traditional jazz scene that strove to
recreate the essence and freedom of 20s New Orleans in 50s Britain.

This film reveals how at a pub in south East London in 1943, a bunch of
curious mavericks led by pugnacious George Webb became the first
musicians to dare recreate raw New Orleans jazz in Britain. Bringing the
Big Easy to Barnehurst, the Dixielanders began a post-War revival of New
Orleans jazz.

The revival famously saw Ex-Etonian Humphrey Lyttelton form his own band
and set up a night at the future punk 100 club. A generation found
release in this good time music-including the likes of a young George
Melly- and a revivalist scene was born.

While British youth jived in smoky dives, the music itself was beset by
arguments of authenticity. Determined to get to the source, Ken Colyer
embarked on a pilgrimage to New Orleans. This film follows in Colyer’s
footsteps and lays bare a musical nirvana beset by racial segregation.
On his return Colyer joined Chris Barber and Tony (eventually Lonnie)
Donegan to form the band that would set the benchmark for British
traditional jazz- before musical differences set in.

The Barber band would discover remarkable Irish blues singer Ottilie
Patterson and invent ‘skiffle’; old-time American folk songs thrashed
out between jazz sets. The 1956 hit Rock Island Line made a star of
banjo player Lonnie Donegan and spawned the first teenage musical craze-
as well as a nationwide shortage of tea chests.

As the rock ‘n’ roll explosion fizzled out, commercial interests
descended on traditional jazz as the possible next big thing. In 1959
Monty Sunshine’s cover of Sidney Bechet’s ‘Petite Fleur’ reached the top
ten and laid the foundations for a ‘Trad’ boom. Mr Acker Bilk, in his
trademark waistcoat-bowler combo, hit the top spot in both Britain and
the USA with ‘Stranger On The Shore’ and moustachioed trumpet ace Kenny
Ball found fame with the catchy ‘Midnight In Moscow’.

Even cinema cashed in. ‘It’s Trad Dad!’ showcased the bands of the day
including The Temperance Seven, who gave a young George Martin his first
#1 with ‘You’re Driving Me Crazy’ in 1961. The film explains how this
was the first and last time New Orleans jazz became British pop. For a
moment the trad fad looked set to soundtrack the Sixties but by 1962
there was a cool Liverpudlian breeze in the air.

Featuring Chris Barber, Acker Bilk, Wally Fawkes and unseen interviews
with the late Humphrey Lyttelton and George Melly. Narrated by Roger
McGough".
-- 
John Petters
www.traditional-jazz.com
Amateur Radio Station G3YPZ