23/09/2012

This week, Russell focuses on a distinguished British composer/songwriter who has made his career in the US. Carroll Coates celebrates his 83rd birthday on this day (23rd September) and we celebrate it with a number of his songs. On a new CD Claire Martin performs his “Too Much In Love To Care”, a number he wrote with James Kriegsmann, and, en passant, we hear another Kriegsmann piece – ‘Joey’ – from Lita Roza. Coates’ most famous early hit was ‘London By Night’ and we hear it from the British 78, performed by Frank Sinatra - which was sold in aid of The National Playing Fields Association and introduced by HRH The Duke Of Edinburgh, no less. Coates wrote a tribute to Sarah Vaughan, which is sung for us by Carmen McRae; The Chordettes are heard with ‘Soft Sands’; Mel Tormé sings ‘Sunday In New York’ and there are others by Doris Day,Shirley Bassey and a specially-recorded-for-the-programme performance of ‘Later For Love’ by Sarah Moule. Returning to the new Claire Martin which opened the programme, Russell plays ‘Wonder Why’ and introduces a new topic, that of the work of Nicolaus Brodsky. We also hear Dean Martin with Brodsky’s ‘Because You’re Mine’. Finally, we conclude with a memory of Ray Charles, born 23rd September 1930, with his “In The Heat Of The Night”.