JAZZ BRITANNIA Click here for broadcast times
A three-part landmark series charting the development of jazz in Britain - a musical journey which also reflects the enormous social changes of the post-war period. From Stan Tracey to Soweto Kinch, Acker Bilk to Jamie Cullum, the story is told with rare archive footage and testimony from the players themselves.
EP 1: STRANGER ON THE SHORE
Two distinct jazz scenes emerged in the late 1940s, trad jazz and modern jazz. In the smoky underground clubs of Soho, issues of class and race were being played out alongside exciting new music. Read more about the programme
EPISODE 2: STRANGE BREW
In the 1960s and early 70s British jazz stepped out of the shadow of America and found a distinct voice. A brief golden age was evident in the work of new composers, the enduring influence of émigré South African musicians and the birth of jazz rock. Read more about the programme
EPISODE 3: THE RE-BIRTH OF COOL
In the 1980s Courtney Pine helped give jazz a Black British identity, while Gilles Peterson's Acid Jazz label brought the music to clubbers. Jamie Cullum and Soweto Kinch have both in their different ways reinvigorated jazz and garnered new audiences. Read more about the programme
