Charlie Gillett's World of Music

RADIO ACTIVE Charlie Gillett's world of music Charlie Gillett's weekly show A World Of Music on publicwhich he signed Ian Dury's first Says Gillett: "There were some full -service station BBC London is one of the most presti-band Kilburn and the High Road. 15 guys like me who little by little "Lene Lovitch was our protégé andgot fired [from Capital]. When it gious windows for showcasing world music in the UK. she had a hit with Lucky Number,"came to me, I was devastated. Emmanuel Legrandprofiles an unconventional broad- he recounts. There is something about playing But Gillett soon resumed hisrecords on the radio which is in my caster with a real passion for music. broadcasting career, landing in DNA." 1980, rather unexpectedly, a gig at Unexpectedly, listeners rallied in Charlie Gillett is one of aalbum comprising 30 tracks thatCapital Radio, which back then support of Gillett. "People started to dying breed of broad-have aroused the most interestbore little resemblance to the tight-protest, so the management called casters. He is man withfrom Gillett's listeners over thely -formatted CHR station Capitalme and asked me to come back. But a mission. The respect- past year. He says this album is aFM is today. for me there was no point of doing ed British radio pre-good introduction to his shows. "I started at Capital with a one -the same thing so they asked for a senter has what he calls "a compul- "I am very responsive to feed-hour programme thatrapidlynew concept. I suggested to do a pro- sive need to share what I like withback from listeners but I try not toexpanded to two," he says. "I couldgramme about what was then other people." And that's exactlybe trapped by what listeners thinkplay whatever I liked. I rememberreferred to 'tropical music'. I started what he does every Saturday in hisaretheirexpectations,"saysthese years as a fantastic time fora show called Foreign Affairs where two-hour show A World Of Music,Gillett. He has forged this beliefBritish music. I had on one of myI played all this kind of music. which features an eclectic mix ofsince hosting a Sunday lunchtimeshows Adam Ant, who played Hank Interestingly, the management was all genres on BBC London (untilshow on BBC London's forerunner,Willams and Prince; Joe Jackson, not choosy as long as they had good recently branded as BBC London BBC Radio London, in the 1970s. "Iwho chose to play salsa and The audience figures." Live). remember playing extensively SoulBeat, who introduced me to some Gillett has always had a relent-Makossa by Manu Dibango, but INigerian bands. That's howI Playing good music less appetite for both music and Gillet's new programme quickly radio. In March 2002, he will cele- Weft (right in the studio with re became a focal point for African brate three decades as a radio pre- musicians in London. "They were senter, during which time he has all listening to the show and I was been introducing generations of lis- able to get on artists like King teners to new sounds from around Sunny Ade, Fela Kuti and many the world. others." Eventually, Capital's pro- The DJ, who wrote the highly - gramme director Richard Park regarded history of rock'n roll, The sacked Gillett. "One by one he got Sound Of The City, believes he is rid of us," says Gillett. "We didn't not alone in his passion. "My belong to what he wanted to build. instinct tells me that it's not a The last year at Capital was such a unique situation and that I'm only strain. The sad thing is that the the tip of the iceberg," he says. He reaction from the audience was is one of the dwindling number of fantastic, but the disinterest from radio people who still believe that the station was huge." it should be up to individual DJs to After leaving Capital, Gillett choose their music. took a job at Warner Music UK, His shows usually centre around but succumbed very quickly once a guest, and recent visitors include more to the radio bug, joining French DJ Yves Thibord of Paris GLR,the BBC'sinnovative station Radio Nova, Japan -based AOR/talk station which replaced journalist Paul Fisher, and Russ Radio London in the late '80s. Jones and Cliffie, organisers of Although GLR was itself replaced London'snow famousFuture"There is something about playing recordslast year with the more newsy World Funk club nights. London Live,Gillett'sweekly Marie -Agnes Beau, who heads shows continue to be as eclectic as the French Music Office in London,on the radio which is in my DNA." ever. has been a Gillett fan ever since Charlie Gillett, presenter, BBC London "One of my greatest satisfac- she moved to the British capital tions is to mix different styles of two years ago. "As a man, he is music and see that there is an adorable, charmingand so didn't know where it came from,"realised that all these musiciansaudience," he says. "I play what I human," she says. "And as a radiohe recalls. "All I knew was that ithad references that went beyondthink is great music. And for me, person, he has proved that he has was great music." British music." good music comes from every- an amazingly open ear. In the UK, That decade, he focused more on But by the mid -'80s, UK com-where." world music is often seen throughwhat he calls "American rootsmercial radio was startingto its traditional end, while he hasmusic" such as Ry Cooder, Dr.become the formatted hit machine Charlie Gillett's A World of Music always tried to be open. He hasJohn, Muddy Waters and cajunwe know today, and specialistcan be heard from 20.00 to 22.00 understood that musicians can bemusic. "Out of that, I started tomusic aired by the likes of Gillett,every Saturday night on BBC contemporary and urban withoutreceive demos from artists likeTim Westwood and Peter Young onLondon, 94.9 FM and worldwide losing their roots." Elvis Costello, Dire Straits andCapital was no longer in vogue. via www.bbc.co.uk I london. Graham Parker, who often got Eclectic mix their first airplay in my show," he Charlie Gillett's Current Favourites says. Beau likes the fact that Gillet Label showcases so much new music. "It's By the end of 197,,, he found it Artist Album Country such a great mixture of styles," shewas the time to re-evaluate his 1 The Gotan Project La Revancha del Tango France/Argentina Ya Basta/XL enthuses, "and he is never afraid ofinvolvement in radio: "I was paid 2 Positive Black SoulRun Cool Senegal East West France taking risks by letting artists per-£75 a week and I was getting more 3 Souad Massi Raoui Algeria Island France aggravation from the fact that the 4 Radio Tarifa Cruzando el Rio Spain World Circuit form live." Beau recalls that Gillett Earthworks tookthegambleoflettingmanagement of the station had no 5 Various Tea in Marrakech Various Senegalese rapper Djoloff andunderstanding of their responsi- 6Little George Sueref and the All Stars Little George Sueref and the All StarsUK Pussycat bility as a launching pad for all 7 Various Beyond Nashville US Manteca Franco -Cuban rap outfit Orishas World Circuit play live in his show. these acts." 8 Baobab Pirates' Choice Senegal On October 29, Virgin will He leftRadio London and 9 Manu Chao Proxima Estation: Esperanza France/Spain Virgin release World 2001,a doublelaunched the Oval record label, to 10 Marvin Pontiac The Legendary Marvin PontiacUS Strange and Beautiful MUSIC & MEDIA OCTOBER 27,2 0 0 1.

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