Blues In The Night: Woody Herman

The BBC Big Band, conductor Jay Craig and guest singer Matthew Ford celebrate the music of bandleader Woody Herman in a special concert at Town Hall Birmingham held to mark the centenary of Woody's birth in May 2013.

From the birth of the swing era until his death in 1987, Woody Herman led his band for more than 50 years. From their early days as 'the band that plays the blues' to their rock and soul infused sounds of the 1960's and 70's as The Thundering Herd, the Herman band in all its incarnations was acclaimed as one of the most exciting and powerful big bands of all time. In this performance the BBC Big Band revisit Woody's early hits including The Woodchopper's Ball, Apple Honey, Bijou and The Four Brothers alongside such later classics as Chick Corea's La Fiesta, Horace Silver's Opus De Funk and Don Rader's Greasy Sack Blues.

During the interval Jess Gillam highlights some of Woody Herman's BBC appearances. The include his 1977 interview on Parkinson and his 1976 residency at Ronnie Scott's. Plus a look back to saxophonist Stan Getz's memorable reunion with Woody for his 40th anniversary concert at New York's Carnegie Hall.