Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
A jazz man, one of Britain's top jazz soloists, a trombonist.
On the island
Eight records
this man's voice, this dark brown, silky voice, does things for me. I think it's marvellous. Anything he sings really, it was it was very hard to to choose a a title really.
Flute Sonata No. 4 in C Major, BWV 1033: III. Adagio - IV. Allegro
this is a record of a a man whom I admire tremendously, uh virtuoso, the flute.
Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra
this is a record uh of a man whom I had the honor and pleasure of of doing a concert with at the Fiscal Hall in the nineteen fifties, Satchmore Louis Armstrong. This is a record I love of him called Thanks a Million.
When I was playing piano I listened to this man and I thought, My goodness, I'm going to cut my fingers off. This man is tremendous.
George Chisholm and the Jive Five
Well, he composed this particular tune and um I had the honour to play it on this particular record and it's called Blue Turning Grey.
I Guess I'll Have to Change My PlanFavourite
Bobby Hackett and Jack Teagarden
probably just about my favorite trumpet player, coupled with my favorite trombone player on this particular record.
Horn Concerto No. 2 in E-Flat Major, K. 417: III. Rondo
This is of a man whom I I first met in the RAF and became very friendly with, a wonderful horn player called Dennis Brain. I'd like to remember him in this particular piece of music.
The last record is of a trombone player, an American trombone player who's an absolute virtuoso. whom I met on that party at the Gibson party thing.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:59How did you set about choosing your desert island ration, just eight discs?
Well, as I said about it, uh records that give me the most enjoyment, uh bring back pleasurable memories or just the sheer artistry of the the artist concerned.
Presenter asks
3:02How old were you when you started in the cinema?
In the cinema I was fourteen. Yeah. Tender age of fourteen. And I used to have to fit music to what went on on the screen.
Presenter asks
6:32When did you decide to come to the big city in the south [London]?
About nineteen thirty six seven.
Presenter asks
6:59What sort of welcome was there [when you arrived in London]?
Well, not much, because there was this uh sort of attitude that uh Scottish musicians had come down to pinch us Londoners' work, you see, and I used to answer this by agreeing with them in a broad Scottish accent and saying, Yes, that's the trouble, that these Scotch people coming down and pinching us Londoners' work.
The keepsakes
The luxury
Presenter asks
16:45Who discovered that you were a natural comedian?
Ah well this happened actually in the in the days of the Squadronaires. You know I was the A. C. Plonk, the fellow who sat on the end, taking the Mickey out the sergeant, Sergeant Jimmy Miller in front.
Presenter asks
24:49Could you look after yourself [on a desert island]?
I think so, yes. I think I think I'd be able to uh ferret out something in the way of uh roots or something to eat or something. Yes, but only in a very small way. But I I think I'd catch the odd boot. … I remember Charlie Chapman used to eat shoes. I think I can get away with boots.
“I started off, would you believe, playing piano in Silent Films in a cinema in Glasgow.”
“So there was me with this terrible little white Glasgow face in amongst all these coloured faces playing. It was the greatest evening of my life.”
“I'm reasonably good at uh do it yourself. Well, put it this way, I use more nails and wood than anybody else in the world.”