This Week's Music for Grown-Ups on Radio/TV

Your exclusive listening/watching guide … thanks to compiler Mike Ollier:


Radio For Grown-Ups

Wed BBCR2 19.00 ~ 20.00
* Mike Harding: Folk On Two
From the Electric Proms, one of the worthier performances; The Waterson/Carthy clan pay tribute to Lal Waterson. Norma & Mike Waterson, Eliza and Martin Carthy and Oliver Knight.

Wed BBCR2 00.20 ~ 04.00
* 41st Country Music Association Awards
Live from Nashville, but worth taping just in case Alison Krauss and Suzy Boggus (touring the UK soon) are nominated. However, be warned, The Eagles are making an appearance: your fast-forward button should put paid to that. There is a highlights show the following day at 7.00pm.

Fri BBCR6 21.00 ~ 22.00
* Theme Time Radio Hour with Bob Dylan
Radio Bob continues its merry way whilst, in a parallel universe, Radio BBC don't (yet again) update their website.

Fri BBC3 22.30 ~ 23.30
* Jazz Library
Shorty Rogers

Fri BBCR3 23.30 ~ 01.00
* Jazz On Three: The Redrush Mahanthappa Quartet live from Leeds.


TV For Grown-Ups

Wed BBC4 21.00 ~ 22.00
* George Melly's Last Stand
An interview with his widow Diana, detailing George's last days and the battle he underwent to record one final album.

Fri BBC4 19.30 ~ 20.30
* European Roots: The Secret History Of The Alphorn
Jazz and fusion using the oft-ridiculed Swiss instrument. The self-appointed arbiters of Alpine good taste, The Yodelling Association, are not happy. I'm not making this up.

Fri BBC4 20.30 ~ 21.00
* Cambridge Folk Festival 2007
Second programme of the series with folk superstars Show Of Hands, guitar virtuoso Martin Simpson and venerable arbiter of ‘60s/’70s folk plays, John Tams.

Fri BBC4 21.00 ~ 22.00
* Legends: The Dankworths
Cleo and Johnny (or is it Johnny and Cleo?) are profiled this week, a duo who did as much as anyone to try to bring jazz to the masses these past 50 (and more) years.

Fri BBC2 23.35
* Later with Jools Holland
A better line-up this week ~ Crowded House play 3 tracks from their new album and guitar god Richard Thompson terrifies any sweet young things caught in his crossfire. Also, interviews with Michael Stipe and Anton Corbijn, who should be familiar as a rock photographer and latterly video director and now director of the acclaimed Joy Division flick, Control.

Sat BBC2 11.40 ~ 01.10
* Country Music Awards
No details, but might be worth taping just in case some non-Nashville, 'real' country music pokes its head over the parapet.

If you're staying up, switch over after that's finished for 'American Splendour' ~ the Harvey Pekar inspired biopic with a great performance from the ever excellent Paul Giamatti.