Podcasts by Jazz Library

Great British Jazz Recordings from 2012-04-29T00:00

In the final edition of the present series of Jazz Library, Alyn Shipton presents archive interviews with Kenny Baker, Vic Lewis, Coleridge Goode and Annie Ross in which they select some highlig...

Milt Jackson from 2012-04-22T00:00

Alyn Shipton selects the most enduring records from vibraphonist Milt Jackson's extensive catalogue, with the help of an archive interview with Jackson himself.

Alan Skidmore from 2012-03-28T09:32

Alan Skidmore is a legendary figure in British jazz and one of its truly individual saxophone voices. To celebrate his imminent 70th birthday, he joins Alyn Shipton to select some of his finest ...

Paul Motian from 2012-03-15T17:13

From his early recordings with the Bill Evans trio in the 1950s, Paul Motian remained in the very highest echelons of jazz until his death in November 2011. His former colleague, the saxophonist...

Boyd Raeburn from 2012-02-27T16:49

Bruce Boyd Raeburn joins Alyn Shipton to select some unusual examples of the original works of his jazz bandleader father, Boyd Raeburn.

Red Mitchell from 2012-02-19T01:00

Simon Woolf joins Alyn Shipton to explore the recorded legacy of American bassist Red Mitchell - from his early years on the West Coast and time in Sweden to his later work in duos.

Bob Brookmeyer from 2012-02-05T00:30

In 2011, trombonist, bandleader and arranger Bob Brookmeyer celebrated his 80th birthday. To mark the event, Alyn Shipton met Brookmeyer to pick the highlights of his recorded work, ranging from...

John Etheridge from 2012-01-29T00:30

John Etheridge is one of Britain's most versatile jazz musicians. He joins Alyn Shipton to pick his recordings, including Soft Machine and his acclaimed duo with John Williams.

The Best New Releases of 2011 from 2011-12-25T01:00

Alyn Shipton is joined by a group of the country's leading jazz critics, broadcasters and writers to select the best new releases of 2011.

David Sanborn from 2011-12-11T01:00

Saxophonist David Sanborn joins Alyn Shipton in front of an audience at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, during the 2011 London Jazz Festival to select his finest recordings. A star of fusion, but with...

Regina Carter from 2011-11-27T01:30

Violinist Regina Carter is a major jazz talent from Detroit. She joins Alyn Shipton in front of an audience at the Purcell Room to pick her finest records as part of the London Jazz Festival. Th...

Trevor Watts from 2011-11-22T13:30

Prior to his appearance with Veryan Weston at the 2011 London Jazz Festival (in association with Radio 3), saxophonist, percussionist and bandleader Trevor Watts joins Alyn Shipton to pick the h...

Michel Portal from 2011-10-29T23:30

French saxophonist Michel Portal is also one of the world's great classical clarinettists, and a restless musical experimenter. In this week's programme, prior to a concert at the London Jazz Fe...

Louis Jordan from 2011-10-22T23:30

The saxophonist and singer Louis Jordan bridged the gap between jazz and rhythm and blues, pioneering many techniques that would be the foundation of r and b, and of rock, but always played as s...

Barney Wilen from 2011-09-24T23:30

The French saxophonist Barney Wilen is best known for his 1950s recordings with Miles Davis, on the score for Louis Malle's film "Lift to the Scaffold". But his work is much wider than this. Aft...

Gerry Mulligan from 2011-09-17T23:30

Gerry Mulligan was one of the finest baritone saxophonists in jazz history, bringing an effortless grace to the large instrument, enhanced by his skill as a composer and arranger. Brian Priestle...

Django Bates from 2011-09-14T12:00

Pianist, composer and bandleader Django Bates has been one of the most innovative figures on the European jazz scene since the 1980s. In front of an audience at this year's Cheltenham Jazz Festi...

Ray Brown from 2011-09-10T15:30

Famous for his associations with Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald (who was also his wife) bassist Ray Brown (who died in 2002) talked to Alyn Shipton about his key recordings ...

Lalo Schifrin from 2011-09-03T16:00

Best known for his film themes such as "Mission Impossible", Argentine pianist and composer Lalo Schifrin is also one of the world's great jazz musicians. In an archive interview with Alyn Shipt...

Artie Shaw from 2011-08-27T16:00

Artie Shaw was one of the most technically brilliant clarinettists in jazz. He was also an improviser, composer and bandleader of the first order, until he ended his career at the age of 44, bel...

Oliver Nelson from 2011-08-20T16:00

Oliver Nelson wrote and directed the iconic album Blues and The Abstract Truth - a defining 1960s jazz record. In this programme Guy Barker joins Alyn Shipton to explore the wealth of material t...

Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen from 2011-08-13T15:45

Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen was one of the most technically brilliant jazz double bassists from the 1960s to the early 2000s, until his sudden death from a heart attack in April 2005. Most fam...

Harry 'Sweets' Edison from 2011-07-30T15:30

The star trumpeter with Count Basie in the 1930s and 40s, Harry Sweets Edison went on to become one of the most recorded trumpet soloists in jazz. In an interview recorded for Radio 3 in 1992 he...

Stephane Grappelli from 2011-07-23T15:30

Looking back on the long recording career of Stephane Grappelli, Alyn Shipton is joined by Martin Taylor who played with the great French violinist for several years. The music spans over fifty ...

Jo Jones from 2011-07-16T15:30

In the Count Basie Orchestra from 1936-48, Jo Jones redefined jazz drumming. Percussionist Richard Pite joins Alyn Shipton to select Jones's finest recordings, and to demonstrate some of his inn...

Alex Welsh from 2011-07-09T15:30

Alex Welsh was a fine traditional and mainstream trumpeter, who led one of Britain's best jazz groups from the 1950s to the 1980s. Digby Fairweather, who knew him well and inherited Welsh's corn...

Cedar Walton from 2011-07-02T15:30

A one-time member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Cedar Walton is one of the most sought-after and versatile pianists in jazz. He joins Alyn Shipton to discuss records made under his own name, ...

Tim Garland from 2011-06-25T15:30

Originally in folk-jazz group Lammas, leader of a regular band at London's Pizza Express and then recruited to join Chick Corea, Tim Garland is now one of Britain's best known jazz saxophonists....

Gypsy Jazz Guitarists from 2011-06-18T15:30

John Etheridge joins Alyn Shipton to suggest the best recordings by three generations of gypsy guitarists whose work is often overshadowed by Django Reinhardt. Artists covered include the Ferre ...

Harry Beckett from 2011-06-16T09:20

Barbados-born Harry Beckett was one of the most fiery and inventive trumpeters in British jazz, right up until his death in July this year. Chris Batchelor joins Alyn Shipton to look back at Bec...

Esbjörn Svensson from 2011-06-11T15:30

Before his death in 2007, Esbjörn Svensson was regarded as the leading pianist in European jazz. His trio (EST) topped the Swedish charts and appeared on MTV. His appeal was broad enough to reac...

Jon Hiseman from 2011-06-04T15:00

Best known as the leader of the fusion bands Tempest and Colosseum, drummer Jon Hiseman's career in jazz covers almost all styles and genres. He talks to Alyn Shipton about a catalogue of record...

Phineas Newborn Jr from 2011-05-28T15:00

Phineas Newborn Jr. was one of the finest pianists in jazz history, but his short career was dogged by physical and mental illness and he is now a somewhat obscure figure. In the wake of several...

Johnny Griffin from 2011-05-21T15:00

In an archive interview with Alyn Shipton and Geoffrey Smith, the late Johnny Griffin selects his favourite records. The tenor saxophonist was one of the most technically brilliant and audacious...

John Taylor at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival from 2011-05-14T15:00

John Taylor is one of the finest and most influential pianists in British jazz. He joins Alyn Shipton in front of an audience at the 2011 Cheltenham Jazz Festival to discuss his recorded catalog...

Bobby Wellins from 2011-04-30T15:00

Bobby Wellins joins Alyn Shipton at the Oxford Jazz Festival to select his key recordings.

The Glasgow-born saxophonist achieved stardom for his solo on Starless and Bible Black in Stan Tr...

Al Cohn from 2011-04-23T15:00

Composer and saxophonist John Altman joins Alyn Shipton to pick the best records by saxophonist Al Cohn. As well as his solos albums and his lengthy association with fellow tenorist Zoot Sims, t...

Alton Purnell from 2011-04-16T15:00

Alton Purnell was born on 16 April 1911, and to celebrate his centenary, Mike Pointon joins Alyn Shipton to pick the best records by the New Orleans pianist.

The programme covers his work ...

Mike Stern from 2011-04-09T15:00

Guitarist Mike Stern has been a major figure in jazz fusion throughout his career. In this programme he traces some of his principal associations and picks some of his own best recordings in con...

Joe Lovano from 2011-04-02T15:00

Saxophonist Joe Lovano is one of the most versatile soloists in jazz. In conversation with Alyn Shipton in front of an audience at the 2011 Gateshead International Jazz festival he discusses som...

James Moody from 2011-03-26T16:00

A fine saxophonist and a pioneer of jazz flute, James Moody died last December. Alyn Shipton remembers his career and picks his finest records with the help of the man himself in an archive conv...

George Avakian from 2011-03-19T16:00

To celebrate the 92nd birthday of George Avakian, the veteran record producer joins Alyn Shipton to pick his personal favourites from a long career in supervising record sessions, starting in 19...

Allan Ganley from 2011-03-12T16:00

On the weekend of what would have been his 80th birthday, the drummer Allan Ganley is heard selecting his favourite recordings in an interview recorded before his death in 2008. He tells Alyn Sh...

Roy Eldridge from 2011-03-05T16:00

Roy Eldridge, with his fiery tone, brilliant upper register and inventive phrasing, was the most musically combative trumpeter of the swing era. The heir to Louis Armstrong and the main influenc...

Dinah Washington from 2011-02-26T16:00

Dinah Washington was only 39 when she died of an accidental overdose of barbiturates in 1963. Yet in her short life she was one of the most successful of all jazz singers, also crossing into blu...

Hank Mobley from 2011-02-19T16:00

Hank Mobley was one of the finest tenor saxophonists in jazz during the 1950s and 1960s. In this programme, fellow saxophonist, author and broadcaster Dave Gelly joins Alyn Shipton to select Mob...

Scott LaFaro from 2011-02-05T16:00

Killed in a car accident aged just 25, Scott LaFaro was widely regarded as the most technically gifted bassist of the 20th Century. His records with Bill Evans are among the finest jazz trio dis...

Sonny Stitt from 2011-01-29T16:00

Sonny Stitt was one of the finest bebop saxophonists, transferring the style of Charlie Parker to the tenor instrument, as well as developing his own approach to the alto. Fellow saxophonist Ala...

Chet Baker from 2011-01-22T16:00

Ian Smith joins Alyn Shipton to select the best recordings by trumpeter and vocalist Chet Baker, including his early work with Gerry Mulligan, his West Coast quartets and the early collaboration...

Louis Moholo Moholo from 2010-12-04T16:00

Louis Moholo Moholo arrived in London from South Africa in the 1960s with Chris McGregor's Blue Notes. During his visit to the UK for the 2010 London Jazz Festival, he joins Alyn Shipton to disc...

Geri Allen from 2010-11-27T16:00

A product of the M-Base revolution and then a major artist on the Blue Note label, Geri Allen is one of the most accomplished female pianists in jazz. In this programme, recorded in front of an ...

Gary Burton from 2010-11-20T16:00

Vibraphonist Gary Burton was a teenage prodigy and his four mallet style revolutionised his instrument's playing technique. Prior to his 2010 London Jazz Festival concert, he joined Alyn Shipton...

Norma Winstone from 2010-11-13T16:00

Singer Norma Winstone joins Alyn Shipton to select her best recordings, looking back to her early days with Michael Garrick, her long associations with John Taylor and Kenny Wheeler, and at song...

Teddy Wilson from 2010-11-06T16:00

From his meteoric rise to fame with Benny Goodman to his small group records with Billie Holiday, pianist Teddy Wilson was one of the stars of the swing era. Pianist Martin Litton joins Alyn Shi...

Clifford Brown from 2010-10-30T15:00

Clifford Brown died in a car crash at 25, robbing the jazz world of one of its most talented and original trumpeters. To mark the 80th anniversary of Brown's birth, author Tom Perchard joins Aly...

Martial Solal from 2010-10-02T15:00

Martial Solal is one of France's most highly acclaimed jazz musicians. Prior to his solo appearance at this year's London Jazz Festival (in association with Radio 3) he talks to Alyn Shipton abo...

Mark Murphy from 2010-09-25T15:00

American singer Mark Murphy is one of the most versatile vocalists in jazz. A master of scat and vocalese, he is also a renowned interpreter of ballads and standards. British singer Ian Shaw joi...

Thad Jones from 2010-09-18T15:00

Trumpeter, composer, arranger and bandleader Thad Jones was a hugely influential musician. In this programme Guy Barker and Alyn Shipton discuss his finest work, including many discs under his o...

Fred Anderson from 2010-09-09T15:00

Fred Anderson, who died in June, was a founder member of the AACM in Chicago and ran the city's famous club, the Velvet Lounge. Alyn Shipton visited him at the site of his historic club before i...

Jimmy Woode from 2010-09-04T15:00

Jimmy Woode was one of a dynasty of jazz musicians from Boston, where he began his career with the likes of Charlie Parker and Sidney Bechet. He joined Alyn Shipton during one of his last visits...

Wynton Kelly from 2010-08-28T15:00

Wynton Kelly was one of the most individual pianists in jazz, famous for his work with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Wes Montgomery. He also led his own trio - often with fellow Miles Davis s...

Max Roach from 2010-08-21T15:00

Richard Pite joins Alyn Shipton to pick the best discs by the founder of modern jazz drumming, Max Roach. They include pieces by many of Roach's own groups.

Bix Beiderbecke from 2010-08-14T15:00

Despite a recording career that lasted only from 1924 to 1931, Bix Beiderbecke changed the way jazz soloists played. An influence on a par with Louis Armstrong or Sidney Bechet, his discs had an...

Stan Tracey from 2010-08-07T15:00

Ahead of the launch of his Later Works at this year's Gateshead International Jazz Festival at the Sage, Stan Tracey joined Alyn Shipton to look back at his recording career. As well as work wit...

Tony Coe from 2010-07-31T15:00

Clarinettist, soprano, alto and tenor saxophonist Tony Coe is one of Britain's most brilliant jazz musicians, the first non-American to be awarded the "jazz Oscar" by Denmark's "Jazzpar" prize c...

Christine Tobin on Shirley Horn from 2010-07-24T15:00

As a vocalist, Shirley Horn was expert at lending subtle treatment to old jazz standards. She was also a fine pianist, and in this week's Jazz Library singer Christine Tobin discusses the Americ...

Benny Powell from 2010-07-10T15:00

Benny Powell grew up in New Orleans to the sound of marching bands and jazz in the air. He joined Lionel Hampton in the 1940s and went on to be a key member of the 1950s Count Basie Orchestra, s...

Arvell Shaw from 2010-07-03T15:00

Bassist Arvell Shaw was the longest-serving member of Louis Armstrong's All Stars. As well as picking his finest discs with Armstrong (including the big band recordings) in an interview recorded...

Barney Kessel from 2010-06-26T15:00

Barney Kessel is one of the most prolific recording artists in jazz, yet one of the least well-known names. Fellow guitarist John Etheridge delves into Kessel's extensive catalogue to explore hi...

Peggy Lee from 2010-06-19T15:00

In later life, reclusive and swathed in a jewelled scarf, Peggy Lee had come a long way from her origins as a jazz singer. In this programme, Gwyneth Herbert, herself a fine interpreter of Lee's...

Art Pepper from 2010-06-12T15:00

Despite a lifelong battle with narcotics, harrowingly related in his book "Straight Life", Art Pepper was one of the finest alto saxophonists in jazz. In this programme, British saxophonist Alan...

Early Ellington Recordings from 2010-06-05T13:00

Duke Ellington's biographer Harvey Cohen joins Alyn Shipton to select highlights from the 1920s and 30s recordings.

From the Cotton Club to national icon, author Harvey Cohen traces Elling...

Michael Garrick from 2010-05-22T15:00

PIanist Michael Garrick died in November 2011. In this archive interview, he joins Alyn Shipton to look back over a fifty year span of some of the finest big band and small group records in Brit...

Joe Henderson from 2010-05-15T15:00

Joe Henderson was one of the finest tenor saxophonists in jazz. Fellow saxophonist Julian Siegel joins Alyn Shipton to assess Henderson's catalogue of discs from his early Blue Note days to his ...

Steve Swallow from 2010-05-08T15:00

Bassist Steve Swallow joins Alyn Shipton in front of an audience at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

A specialist on the electric bass, Swallow looks back at his early days on the acoustic in...

Ramsey Lewis from 2010-05-01T15:00

This month, Chicago-born pianist Ramsey Lewis celebrates his 75th Birthday and the recent release of Songs From The Heart, his latest trio recording. This acoustic format has been a central comp...

John Scofield from 2010-04-24T15:00

Prior to his appearance at the 2010 Cheltenham Jazz Festival, guitarist John Scofield joins Alyn Shipton to choose key albums from his extensive recorded catalogue. As well as his most recent di...

Ron Carter from 2010-04-10T15:00

Bassist Ron Carter is one of the most influential and revered instrumentalists in jazz, famous for his work with Miles Davis's 1960s quintet. He joins Alyn Shipton to select the highlights of hi...

Al Grey from 2010-04-03T15:00

Trombonist Al Grey (1925 - 2000) was one of the most distinctive soloists in big band jazz, working with many of the most famous swing orchestras. In an archive interview, recorded just before h...

Ornette Coleman from 2010-03-20T16:00

Celebrating Ornette Coleman's 80th birthday in March 2010, Alyn Shipton was joined by Scottish saxophonist Paul Towndrow to select the key recordings by Coleman, the saxophonist who developed fr...

Ed Thigpen from 2010-03-13T16:00

Jazz Library pays tribute to the drummer Ed Thigpen who died in January. He was such a consummate percussionist that he was known as "Mr Taste". A lynch-pin of the bands of Ella Fitzgerald, Dina...

Marian McPartland from 2010-02-20T16:00

The British-born pianist Marian McPartland has become an American national treasure, not least through her long-running radio show Piano Jazz. In this edition of Jazz Library she joins Alyn Ship...

Keith Tippett from 2010-02-13T16:00

Pianist Keith Tippett is a musician of extraordinary breadth and vision. His projects range from the vast 50-piece orchestra Centipede - so large it had its own private plane for touring - to in...

A Tribute to John Dankworth from 2010-02-06T16:00

On 6 February 2010, Sir John Dankworth died aged 82. In this special edition of Jazz Library, Alyn Shipton introduces an archive interview in which John Dankworth selected some of his finest rec...

Erroll Garner from 2010-01-30T16:00

Erroll Garner was one of the most distinctive and original pianists in jazz. To select his finest recordings, Alyn Shipton is joined by the young British pianist Neil Cowley. The programme inclu...

Bing Crosby from 2009-12-26T16:00

Focusing on the jazz side of Bing Crosby, Gwyneth Herbert joins Alyn Shipton to pick Bing's jazziest recordings, ranging from his Paul Whiteman days to the swing bands of Buddy Bregman and Billy...

Stefano Bollani from 2009-12-19T16:00

One of the highlights of 2009's London Jazz Festival was pianist Stefano Bollani's residency at Kings Place, where the Italian gave solo performances as well as concerts in duo, trio and quintet...

Lawrence Lucie from 2009-12-12T16:00

Swing guitarist Lawrence Lucie died in 2009, aged 101. Not long before his death, Lucie met Alyn Shipton in New York to look back over his remarkable career, which not only included stints with ...

Graham Collier from 2009-12-05T16:00

Few people did more to promote the cause of jazz in Britain than Graham Collier, who died on September 9th. He led a succession of pioneering ensembles over the last 45 years, and was a key figu...

Lionel Hampton from 2009-11-28T16:00

Critic and pianist Brian Priestley joins Alyn Shipton to select recording highlights from the career of drummer, vibraphonist and pianist Lionel Hampton, one of the greatest musicians of the swi...

John Surman from 2009-11-21T16:00

Recorded in front of an audience at the 2009 London Jazz Festival, British saxophonist John Surman joins Alyn Shipton to look back over his recording career. As one of the country's finest saxop...

Cleo Laine from 2009-11-14T16:00

Looking forward to her appearance at the 2009 London Jazz Festival, Cleo Laine joins Alyn Shipton to select some of the finest recorded performances from her distinguished career.

DISC 1 T...

Stan Getz from 2009-11-07T16:00

To choose the finest recordings by Stan Getz, Alyn Shipton is joined by the great saxophonist's biographer Dave Gelly. Together, they pick the critical high points of Getz's work, from the 1940s...

Stuff Smith from 2009-10-31T16:00

To mark jazz violinist Stuff Smith's centenary year in 2009, Alyn Shipton meets fiddle player Chris Garrick to celebrate one of the most unusual instrumentalists in jazz. They chart a course thr...

Rashied Ali from 2009-10-24T15:00

Until his untimely death in 2009, Rashied Ali was widely regarded as the doyen of free jazz drummers. He made his name in John Coltrane's quartet and went on to a wide range of musical activity ...

Bill Frisell from 2009-10-17T15:00

Looking forward to guitarist Bill Frisell's appearance at the 2009 London Jazz Festival, Alyn Shipton is joined by Phil Robson to select Frisell's finest recordings. Spanning from 1984 to the pr...

Chris Barber from 2009-10-10T15:00

Chris Barber is one of Britain's best-loved bandleaders. He joins Alyn Shipton to select highlights of his recordings from 1953 to the present, not only featuring his own bands, but also his col...

Carmen McRae from 2009-10-03T15:00

Singer Carmen McRae was a protegee of Billie Holiday but soon grew beyond that early influence to develop her own distinctive musical personality. Singer Christine Tobin joins Alyn Shipton to pi...

George Russell from 2009-09-26T15:00

The jazz composer and theorist George Russell was a major innovator in jazz for over 50 years. In an archive interview with Alyn Shipton, Russell looks back at the highlights of a recorded reper...

Carla Bley from 2009-09-19T15:00

Pianist and composer Carla Bley joins Alyn Shipton to choose her essential records, from the jazz opera Escalator Over the Hill via her various big bands, to her current small groups.

Hampton Hawes from 2009-09-05T15:00

In the 1950s, Hampton Hawes was the most exciting and technically gifted pianist in Los Angeles. Pianist and author Tim Richards guides Alyn Shipton through the highlights of Hawes' trio recordi...

Billy Taylor from 2009-08-22T15:00

Although he is not as well known in the UK as in America, where he is the best-known broadcaster on jazz, pianist Dr Billy Taylor is a hugely influential musical figure. He joins Alyn Shipton to...

George Shearing from 2009-08-15T15:00

Pianist Sir George Shearing died on 14th February 2011. In an archive interview, he joins Alyn Shipton to look back over the highlights of his recording career, from early triumphs in London to ...

Jake Hanna from 2009-08-08T15:00

Best known as the powerhouse behind the 1960s Woody Herman band, Jake Hanna was one of the most versatile and experienced drummers in jazz before his death in February 2010.

Alyn Shipton p...

Joe Pass from 2009-08-01T15:00

Guitarist Joe Pass recovered from narcotic addiction to launch a stellar international career as arguably one of the finest exponents of his instrument in jazz history. Alyn Shipton is joined by...

Shelly Manne from 2009-07-25T15:00

Alyn Shipton is joined by drum expert Richard Pite to select highlights from Shelly Manne's prolific recording career, showing his total mastery of percussion in any idiom. Manne spanned more di...

Roland Hanna from 2009-07-18T15:00

Roland Hanna was one of the most dazzlingly talented of pianists until his untimely death from a viral infection in 2002. Just weeks before he fell ill, he met Alyn Shipton for what turned out t...

Teddy Edwards from 2009-07-11T15:00

The late, great tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards talks to Alyn Shipton. Shortly before his death in 2003, Teddy Edwards met Alyn to discuss the highlights of a long and illustrious recording care...

Nat King Cole from 2009-07-04T15:00

Gwyneth Herbert joins Alyn Shipton to select the high points of Nat King Cole's work as a hugely influential pianist, charismatic vocalist, and one of the most combative of all jam session playe...

Bud Shank from 2009-06-20T15:00

Bud Shank was one of the major figures in West Coast Jazz before his death in April 2009. To commemorate Bud and his music, Alyn Shipton selects Shank's key recordings, with the help of a 1992 a...

Booker Little from 2009-06-13T15:00

Alyn Shipton is joined by Tom Perchard to select the highlights from trumpeter Booker Little's recorded catalogue. Before his death in 1961 aged 23, Little was seen as one of the brightest hopes...

Joni Mitchell from 2009-06-06T15:00

Singer Christine Tobin guides Alyn Shipton through the jazz-oriented repertoire of Joni Mitchell, including her work with Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius and Herbie Hancock. Mitchell often employe...

Dave Liebman from 2009-05-30T15:00

Dave Liebman came to fame as the saxophonist in Miles Davis's 1970s band, but he has had a formidable career since the 1980s as a bandleader in his own right, often specialising on the soprano i...

Bob Wilber from 2009-05-16T15:00

Eighty-one-year old Bob Wilber is one of the leading clarinettists and saxophonists in traditional jazz, and he joins Alyn Shipton to look back at the highlights of a career that began when Bob ...

Hugh Masekela from 2009-04-25T15:00

South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela joined Alyn Shipton to discuss his finest recordings.

For Hugh Masekela, jazz and political activism go hand in hand. As he guides Alyn Shipton throug...

Heath Brothers from 2009-04-11T15:00

Few families have produced three such exceptional musical brothers as Percy, Jimmy and Tootie Heath, a bassist, saxophonist and drummer who have worked at the highest level. On one of their last...

Joshua Redman from 2009-04-04T15:00

In a programme recorded at the Gateshead Jazz Festival 2009, Alyn Shipton is joined by saxophonist Joshua Redman to look back at his best recordings. These include his early quintets and quartet...

Sheila Jordan from 2009-03-28T16:00

American singer Sheila Jordan joins Alyn Shipton in front of an audience at the Gateshead International Jazz Festival 2009 to select the highlights from her half-century as arguably one of the m...

Louie Bellson from 2009-03-21T16:00

In a special tribute to drummer Louie Bellson, who died in February 2009, Alyn Shipton presents an archive interview with the man himself, in which he selects key records from his career. Includ...

Peter Ind from 2009-03-14T16:00

British bassist Peter Ind joins Alyn Shipton to select the highlights from his long recording career, mainly on his own Wave label which he founded in the 1950s. As well as collaborations with s...

Brad Mehldau from 2009-03-07T16:00

Singer Gwyneth Herbert has proved herself an insightful commentator on the recordings of fellow vocalists on Jazz Library, but in this week's programme she shares her enthusiasm for the pianist ...

Dexter Gordon from 2009-02-28T16:00

The tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon was one of the first tenor saxophonists in jazz to adopt the bebop style in the 1940s, going on to become one of the most influential and distinctive soloists...

Gene Krupa from 2009-02-21T16:00

Alyn Shipton is joined by vintage-drum expert Richard Pite to select the highlights from Krupa's many recordings. As well as his work with Benny Goodman, the programme spans Krupa's playing from...

Ian Carr from 2009-02-07T16:00

Trumpeter, author and broadcaster Ian Carr is considered by some to be one of the most influential figures in British jazz.

Alyn Shipton features an archive interview, in which Carr selec...

Benny Golson from 2009-01-31T16:00

Alyn Shipton interviews veteran saxophonist Benny Golson, who turns 80 in 2009, and who is to be honoured at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC for his lifetime achievements in jazz. The progra...

Lee Konitz from 2008-11-16T00:00

Alyn Shipton talks to the prolific American composer and alto saxophonist about the landmarks in his career, beginning with his early days with Claude Thornhill and Stan Kenton and progressing t...

Bud Powell from 2008-11-02T00:00

Alyn Shipton explores the best examples of recordings by pianist Bud Powell, who died in 1966 aged 41 and altered the course of jazz piano through his bebop innovations of the 1940s.

He le...

Nina Simone from 2008-10-25T15:00

Alyn Shipton and Gwyneth Herbert select highlights from the recorded catalogue of the jazz singer and pianist known as the High Priestess of Soul. The programme includes part of an archive inter...

Sun Ra from 2008-10-18T23:00

Author and critic Brian Morton joins Alyn Shipton to select the essential examples of bandleader Sun Ra's work.

Born Herman Blount, he was as famous for his exotic headgear and claims that...

Benny Goodman from 2008-10-11T23:00

The King of Swing, and one of the finest of all jazz clarinetists, Benny Goodman recorded prolifically, and was as dazzlingly talented in a big band setting as in a small group. He encouraged mu...

Tomasz Stanko from 2008-10-04T23:00

Alyn Shipton is joined by Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko to help select the finest examples of his recorded work that should be in any jazz collection.

One of the most celebrated jazz musi...

Billy Strayhorn from 2008-09-05T21:30

The man who was Duke Ellington's amanuensis, co-pianist and arranger is not so well-known in his own right. In tonight's programme Ellingtonian specialist Brian Priestley joins Alyn Shipton to l...

Clark Terry from 2008-05-16T21:30

Alyn Shipton is joined by one of the most famous Ellingtonians of all, trumpeter Clark Terry, to look back over his recordings. In addition to his work with Ellington, Terry was also a member of...

Dave Brubeck from 2008-05-16T21:30

Dave Brubeck

To celebrate pianist Dave Brubeck's 87th birthday, Alyn Shipton introduces part of a conversation with Brubeck recorded during his quartet's 40th anniversary tour of the UK, i...

Wes Montgomery from 2008-04-25T21:30

John Etheridge helps Alyn Shipton select highlights from the catalogue of fellow jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery, explaining how he achieved his unique sound. Montgomery is considered to have been...

Abdullah Ibrahim from 2008-02-22T22:30

Alyn Shipton talks to gifted South African jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim about the highlights in his recorded catalogue.

Ibrahim discusses discs from the apartheid era, when he was both a...

Oscar Peterson from 2008-02-08T22:30

Alyn Shipton presents a special tribute edition of Jazz Library devoted to Oscar Peterson, who died in December 2007 and is regarded as one of the greatest jazz pianists. The programme not only...

Django Reinhardt from 2007-12-28T22:30

Django Reinhardt

The first European jazz musician to make a significant impact on the world stage, guitarist Django Reinhardt's effect was felt throughout jazz.

John Etheridge, leade...

Cab Calloway from 2007-12-21T22:30

Cab Calloway

Christmas Day marks the centenary of one of the most outsize talents in jazz, the Hi-de-Ho man himself, Cab Calloway.

To select from such recorded gems by Cab as Minnie ...

Sonny Rollins, Episode 2 from 2007-12-14T22:30

Alyn Shipton concludes his conversation with the great Sonny Rollins, and brings his survey of the saxophonist's recorded output up-to-date.

The programme includes excerpts from Rollins' l...

Sonny Rollins, part 1 from 2007-11-23T22:30

Sonny Rollins joins Alyn Shipton to select the key recordings from his voluminous catalogue.

Widely regarded as a major living exponent of the tenor saxophone and an innovator since the en...

Jelly Roll Morton from 2007-10-19T21:30

Jelly Roll Morton

Alyn Shipton is joined by Morton specialist Martin Litton to explore the work of Jelly Roll's band, the Red Hot Peppers, as well as the solo discs.

The self-procla...

Buddy Rich from 2007-09-21T21:30

Starting his life as a child star tap dancer, Buddy Rich became one of the most gifted drummers in jazz history. To survey the prolific recorded output of "The Man From Planet Jazz", Alyn Shipto...

Andrew Hill from 2007-08-31T21:30

Widely regarded as one of the great innovaters in Jazz Piano, Andrew Hill passed away in April of 2007. To celebrate his life Alyn Shipton and Trumpeter Bryon Wallen, who worked regularly with ...

Art Farmer from 2007-08-31T15:00

Trumpeter Art Farmer was one of the most lyrical and inventive players in jazz. Alyn Shipton is joined by Ian Smith (who met and interviewed Farmer) to select his finest recordings, which includ...

Billie Holiday from 2007-08-03T21:30

Singer Christine Tobin guides Alyn Shipton through the best work from Billie Holiday's early and late career. Widely acknowledged as one of the finest singers in jazz history, Billie Holiday's s...

John Coltrane from 2007-07-20T21:30

In this Jazz Library podcast, Alyn Shipton is joined by saxophonist Soweto Kinch to assess the legacy of the highly influential and innovative saxophonist, John Coltrane and select the most esse...

Pat Metheny from 2007-06-29T21:30

Pat Metheny joins Alyn Shipton for this Jazz Library podcast. One of the most technically skilled jazz guitarists ever to record, he helps Alyn to select some of the highlights of his work not ...

Chick Corea from 2007-06-22T21:30

Pianist and bandleader Chick Corea himself guides Alyn Shipton through some of his finest recordings. Few musicians in jazz have the extraordinary stylistic range of Chick Corea. His work ranges...

Cuba Special from 2007-06-08T21:30

Alyn Shipton is joined by Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval to choose key recordings in Cuban Jazz including music from Dizzy Gillespie, Machito, Cubanismo and Sandoval himself.

Charles Mingus from 2007-05-25T15:00

Famously known as the 'The Angry Man of Jazz,' Charles Mingus refused to compromise his innovative compositional style throughout a long and illustrious career.

Alyn Shipton surveys the re...

Fats Waller from 2007-05-11T21:30

The jazz pianist Fats Waller was a larger than life personality and his ample form fills this Jazz Library podcast with some of the most joyous recordings in history. Humphrey Lyttelton and Mar...

Charles Lloyd from 2007-05-04T21:30

In this Jazz Library podcast, the American saxophonist Charles Lloyd joins Alyn Shipton to select some of the best recordings from his long career. He introduces his work with musicians as vario...

Miles Davis from 2007-04-20T21:30

Trumpeter Miles Davis was so influential on the course of jazz that his recordings changed the music's direction several times. In this podcast, Alyn Shipton starts out to suggest the essential ...

Charlie Parker from 2007-03-09T22:30

Charlie Parker was the most influential alto saxophonist in jazz history, and in his short life he left hundreds of recordings. So how do you pick the best ones for your collection? In this Jazz...

Louis Armstrong from 2007-02-23T22:30

In this podcast, Alyn Shipton offers guidance to building a jazz library. He begins with records by the first great soloist in jazz, Louis Armstrong. Satchmo's early work is assessed by his frie...