BBC newsreader Clive Myrie, who has emerged as quite a jazz fan in recent times, is to play tracks from 10 albums he believes should be in every jazz lover’s collection on Jazz FM and BBC Radio 3 this month.
Myrie’s selection from the legion of jazz releases made since the long-player arrived in 1948 include works by Miles Davis, Nala Sinephro, Nubya Garcia, Della Reese and Art Blakey.
The broadcasts will feature just 10 tracks, one from each album, presenting Myrie with difficult decisions and the expectation of debate and possibly derision from the notoriously factional world of jazz. He said: “I won’t lie, it wasn’t easy whittling down my jazz collection and a lifetime of jazz listening to just 10 albums, and 10 tracks. I hope everyone enjoys the selection though I’m sure there’ll be fierce debate about the final choice.”
Jazz FM and the BBC appear sanguine about the idea of naming 10 essential jazz albums. Nick Pitts of Jazz FM said: “This innovative series of shorts is an example of a simple but incredibly effective piece of programming that all jazz lovers will enjoy, plus it gives Clive a chance to remind people of his unbridled knowledge of jazz.” BBC Radio 3 Controller Alan Davey said R3 was “delighted to partner once again with those brilliant, lovely people at Jazz FM for this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival, to present jazz chosen by none other than Clive Myrie”.
Clive Myrie has previously hosted some of the jazz-themed BBC Proms, and such daringly titled series as The Definitive History Of Jazz In Britain for Jazz FM and The Truth About Jazz for the BBC World Service.
The new show, Clive Myrie’s 10 Essential Jazz Albums, will be broadcast during the week of the 2022 London Jazz Festival – on Jazz FM daily 11-20 November at 18.50 and on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune daily 11-18 November at 18.20 and on Weekend Breakfast Saturday 12 & 19 and Sunday 13 & 20 at 08.40. It will then be available on BBC Sounds and Jazz FM’s app for 30 days.
The complete list of Clive Myrie’s jazz essentials is:
Miles Davis: Porgy And Bess (reviewed JJ 09/59)
John Coltrane: Africa/Brass (JJ 02/20)
Nala Sinephro: Space 1.8
Art Blakey: A Night In Tunisia (JJ 01/62)
Pharoah Sanders: Journey To The One
Dizzy Gillespie: Dizzy On The French Riviera
Nubya Garcia: Source (JJ 12/21)
Lee Morgan: Search For The New Land
Vijay Iyer: Historicity
Della Reese: Blue Skies
