London-centric Jazz Radio?

(Preview by Russell).

The mammoth EFG London Jazz Festival tends to dominate the jazz landscape but there is an alternative schedule. Saturday’s Jazz Line-Up (Radio 3, 5:00pm) sees Alyn Shipton in Budapest for this year’s European Jazz Network Conference from where he takes the opportunity to survey the scene in Hungary. At midnight Radio 3’s Geoffrey Smith’s Jazz looks at the career of band leader Maria Schneider.

Sunday at nine o’clock is your regular date with Clare Teal and this week Clare’s guest is reeds virtuoso Colin Skinner. A week’s worth of Hoagy Carmichael is something to bring cheer to these shortening winter days. Composer of the Week (Radio 3, Monday-Friday at noon with an early evening repeat) takes Carmichael as its subject. The 100 Club features in a four part series first broadcast in 2004. From trad to skiffle to punk, part one goes out at 2:00am Tuesday (parts 2 to 4, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday).

Alright, okay, London wins…BBC Music Jazz – the four day digital pop-up station – will broadcast a London Jazz Festival double bill on Saturday evening at 7:30pm. A hot ticket gig sees the lauded Kamasi Washington in concert supported by GoGo Penguin.

Russell.