Jazz Meets Classical on Jazz FM and Scala Radio

Jazz Meets Classical is a landmark moment as two national brands come together to create a unique six-part series.

This January, join Jazz FM and Scala Radio as they come together for a UK radio first, with a brand-new series heard across both networks on Sunday nights over six weeks, exploring the link between two great musical genres: classical and jazz.

To many, classical and jazz are worlds apart; one is heard in grand halls, the other in some of the world’s most intimate jazz clubs, but in this series, Jazz FM’s China Moses and Scala Radio’s Jack Pepper will argue otherwise.

Beginning on the 9th January 2022, the pair – who are both also established and highly respected musical artists in their respective fields – will introduce each other to the music they love, and explore the grey areas, crossovers and curious links across the six episodes.

Joining Jack and China on this journey are a collection of great musical minds that have straddled the jazz and classical divide, from Maria Schneider to Nigel Kennedy, delving deep into their careers and boundary-blurring work.

As an exciting ending, each episode will finish with a piece of live music, recorded specially for the series by the Jazz Meets Classical House Band led by esteemed pianist Robert Mitchell, alongside a group of talented players from the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. The recordings will cover everything from Beethoven to Wayne Shorter and show that the two worlds have more in common than you might think.

Funded by the Audio Content Fund and produced by Folded Wing, this also marks the first time the two Bauer Media Audio brands have come together to present a co-branded series of programmes.

You can listen to Jazz meets Classical from 9th January 2022 on both Scala Radio (8pm) and Jazz FM (9pm)

Jazz Meets Classical - Episode listings and details:

Episode 1: Composers – 9th January

Composer Jack Pepper and jazz musician China Moses take a look at composers – interesting figures, underrated names and some all-time greats – playing music from Duke Ellington to Darius Milhaud, and investigating George Gershwin’s classic Rhapsody in Blue at the piano. The multiple Grammy award-winning composer and jazz orchestra leader Maria Schneider is this week’s guest – she tells China that learning how music makes us feel was a key step at the start of her genre-blurring career, which has taken in collaborations with everyone from soprano Dawn Upshaw to pop chameleon David Bowie.

Episode 2: Performers – 16th January

Music from Nina Simone and André Previn. Focusing on Yehudi Menuhin and Stephane Grappelli’s version of Cheek to Cheek. The house band play Bach. This week’s guest is Nigel Kennedy.

Episode 3: Connections – 23rd January

Music from Shostakovich and Mary Lou Williams. Focusing on Dave Brubeck’s Blue Rondo A La Turk performed with the London Symphony Orchestra. The house band play Bizet. This week’s guest is Terence Blanchard.

Episode 4: Teachers and Influencers – 30th January

Music from Ravel and Quincy Jones. Focusing on Clair de Lune and Kamasi Washington’s version. The house band play George Russell. This week’s guest is Gary Crosby.

Episode 5: Improvisation and Interpretation – 6th February

Music from Betty Carter and Handel. Focusing on Robert Mitchell and Shirley Smart’s take on CPE Bach. The house band play Wayne Shorter. This week’s guest is Angel Blue.

Episode 6 Arrangements – 13th February

Music from Leonard Bernstein and Ella Fitzgerald. Focusing on Kurt Weill’s Mack the Knife, as sung by Dee Dee Bridgewater. The house band play Duke Ellington. This week’s guest is Jules Buckley.

Jazz FM & Scala Radio Presenters:

Jazz FM and Scala Radio share some fantastic broadcasters. Find out which presenters can be found across both stations and when you can hear them...

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