Duke Ellington — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

Tuning in…

desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

Find a castaway
Most requested
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Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
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Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

Duke Ellington — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

Artist

Duke Ellington

16 episodes

Chosen over the decades

16

Total castaways

1990s

Peak decade

7

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Adelaide Hall
Alan Bleasdale
Anatole de Grunwald
Anna Ford
David Jacobs
John Dankworth
John Humphrys
Lord Prescott
Margaret MacMillan
Mel Torme
Philippe Petit
Sir John Wilson
Stan Kenton
Stan Tracey
Steve Race
Woody Herman

Margaret MacMillan
Margaret MacMillan on finding Winston Churchill's scribbled comments in a pre-WWI document
Castaway · 24 February 2019Lauren Laverne
Anna Ford
How Anna Ford taught IRA internees in Long Kesh
Castaway · 18 March 2012Kirsty Young

desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

Find a castaway
Most requested
Browse the archive
About

Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
Report a fault

Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

Lord Prescott

John Prescott on failing the Eleven Plus

Castaway · 19 February 2012Kirsty Young

08°43′S 070°38′W

John Humphrys

John Humphrys on fearing his career was over after Jonathan Aitken's accusation

Castaway · 6 January 2008Kirsty Young

12°27′S 095°07′W

Philippe Petit

Philippe Petit on tearing a magazine page in a dentist's waiting room

Castaway · 10 April 2005Sue Lawley

13°31′S 039°43′W

Stan Tracey

Stan Tracey on wanting to become a postman

Castaway · 25 April 1999Sue Lawley

Sir John Wilson

19°28′S 076°34′W

Sir John Wilson

John Wilson on a tree as a white column of sound

Castaway · 8 May 1994Sue Lawley

09°41′S 126°58′W

Alan Bleasdale

Alan Bleasdale on writing in a converted toilet with his dad's cement mixer outside

Castaway · 25 August 1991Sue Lawley

06°43′S 081°03′W

Adelaide Hall

Adelaide Hall on accidentally inventing scat while humming to Ellington's 'Creole Love Call'

Castaway · 13 January 1991Sue Lawley

03°12′S 075°13′W

John Dankworth

John Dankworth on pretending his saxophone was a bassoon

Castaway · 2 March 1986Michael Parkinson

13°18′S 154°09′W

Woody Herman

Woody Herman on Igor Stravinsky writing Ebony Concerto for his band

Castaway · 18 February 1984Roy Plomley

14°18′S 049°21′W

Mel Torme

Mel Torme on how 'Mountain Greenery' became a UK number one after being cut from a film

Castaway · 24 July 1976Roy Plomley

21°23′S 027°53′W

Steve Race

Steve Race on suffering a heart attack at the microphone

Castaway · 27 November 1971Roy Plomley

Anatole de Grunwald

19°31′S 163°05′W

Anatole de Grunwald

Anatole de Grunwald on reading for pleasure, not for film inspiration

Castaway · 29 March 1965Roy Plomley

00°09′S 176°03′W

David Jacobs

David Jacobs on the screw points that ruined his perfect cupboard mirror

Castaway · 25 May 1964Roy Plomley

12°34′S 077°33′W

Stan Kenton

Stan Kenton on ignoring music until a sudden obsession at 14

Castaway · 9 April 1956Roy Plomley