Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jazz Radio All the Way

(Preview by Russell)

Clare Teal (BBC Radio2, Sunday 21, 9:00pm) features…Clare Teal! Our programme host joins the BBC Big Band, conducted by Jiggs Whigham. Guest vocalists Matthew Ford and Mica Paris join Teal, as does blues guitarist Joanne Shaw Taylor. Radio 2 on Monday evening (10:00pm) presents Glenn Miller, 70 Years of Mystery. A wag may say it remains a mystery how Miller became hugely popular, however this programme, presented by Len Goodman, looks at the man’s music and, no doubt, disappearance. A marked contrast at 11:00pm over on Radio 3 is Jazz on 3. Jez Nelson and guests get to choose favourite releases of the year.

Christmas Eve could provide the highlight of your festive jazz listening – Leo Green: Ella and the Songbooks (Radio 2, 8:00pm). Leo Green selects music from Ella’s eight Songbook albums. Saturday 27 sees Jazz Record Requests in its regular slot (Radio 3, 5:00pm) followed at six o’clock by Jazz Line-Up. Claire Martin presents an in-concert recording of Alan Broadbent with the Mark Nightingale Big Band from Watermill Jazz, Dorking. At midnight on Radio 3 Geoffrey Smith’s Jazz looks at the work of the Basie Band (the first of two programmes). Jazz on 3 (Monday 29) repeats Loose Tubes’ sold-out concert at Ronnie Scott’s earlier this year. The band will be appearing at next year’s  Gateshead International Jazz Festival! Lenny Henry edits Today (Tuesday 30, Radio 4, 6:00am) and jazz will be one of his interests explored in between heavyweight political interviews. Later on Radio 3 (9:00pm) there is another chance to hear Laura Mvula’s late-night Prom in BBC Proms 2014.

New Year’s Day kicks-off Radio 2’s year long celebration of the music of Frank Sinatra (December 2015 marks the centenary of the birth of Ol’ Blue Eyes). At 5:00pm that well known jazzer Barry Manilow introduces some of Sinatra’s in-concert performances. The Beeb’s jazz output continues apace on Friday 2nd in Out of Armenia (Radio 4, 1:45pm). This final programme of five features a contribution from pianist Levon Malkhasyan. At 9:00pm, BBC Proms 2014 (Radio 3) revisits Paloma Faith’s Proms’ appearance with the 42-piece Guy Barker Jazz Orchestra.                    

Russell.