Jelly Rolls Up
Saturday 22 January 2005 23:00-1:00 (Radio 3)
Alwynne Pritchard presents a concert recorded last November as part of the London Jazz Festival. The genius of legendary jazz pianist and composer Jelly Roll Morton is the impetus for new compositions and improvisations by Matthew Bourne, Frederic Rzewski, Michael Finnissy and Philip Clark, all performed by Alex Ward (clarinets), Mary Oliver (violin), Ian Pace (piano) and Han Bennink (percussion).
Playlist
Presenter: Alwynne Pritchard
Producer: Philip Tagney
Broadcast Assistant: Patrick Johns
Jelly Roll Morton - jazz's first great pianist and most enigmatic blagger - spent the final decade of his life in sad decline as Duke Ellington and Fletcher Henderson usurped his once glittering crown. But today Morton's quicksilver fusion of musical styles and negotiation between composition and improvisation have never seemed so relevant: Alex Ward (clarinets), Mary Oliver (violin) and Ian Pace (piano) with special guest Han Bennink (percussion) throw fresh light on Morton classics and give the first performances of Morton-inspired compositions by Mike Westbrook, Matthew Bourne, Philip Clark, Frederic Rzewski and Michael Finnissy.
Improvisation based on Jelly Roll Morton's 'Dead Man Blues'
Mary Oliver (violin), Alex Ward (clarinets) and Han Bennink (percussion)
Michael Finnissy
'Jazz'
Ian Pace (piano)
Michael Finnissy
'Boogie Woogie'
Ian Pace (piano)
Matthew Bourne
'...And didn't I fall in love again' (15')
Ian Pace (piano), Alex Ward (clarinets), Mary Oliver (violin)
Frederic Rzewski
'Spells'
World Premiere of BBC Commission
Ian Pace (piano)
Improvisations based on Jelly Roll Morton's 'Black Bottom Stomp' and 'Hyena Stomp'
Ian Pace (piano) and Alex Ward (clarinets)
Michael Finnissy
'That Ain't Shit'
Alex Ward (clarinets), Mary Oliver (violin), Ian Pace (piano) and Han Bennink (percussion)
Improvisation based on Jelly Roll Morton's 'Freakish'
Mary Oliver (violin) and Han Bennink (percussion)
Philip Clark
'Ad Lippy, Ad Libby'
World Premiere of BBC Commission
Alex Ward (clarinets), Mary Oliver (violin), Ian Pace (piano) and Han Bennink (percussion)
Don't forget, you can have your say on tonight's programme, or any aspect of new music by visiting the New Music Messageboard
For further details of any of tonight's composers, performers or pieces, please e-mail hear.and.now@bbc.co.uk
