Ne w s L E T T e R ISSUE 24 May 2012 Legendary Interviewer Becomes Interviewee June’s celebrity guest, who has been very far from the has agreed to a spot of role case. He’s discussed future reversal, is introduced by plans for the Archive with our Digby Fairweather. principal fundraiser Fiona Digby writes: One of the Baird and myself over preconditions that most generous lunches at his NATIONAL JAZZ ARCHIVE JAZZ NATIONAL potential ‘patrons’ insist upon superb restaurant, the Royal before accepting the role with Oak, in Maidenhead, and any national organisation is found more time to truck on ‘OK, put my name on the down to Ronnie Scott’s for an notepaper by all means – but enjoyable lunchtime session don’t ask me to do anything!’ led by the writer. And most In the case of Sir Michael recently he’s agreed to Parkinson and the National release yet more hours from Jazz Archive, however, this Continued on page 2 The Story of British Jazz Following the award of now under way, with the £346,300 to the National project team appointed Jazz Archive by the and work begun. Meet Heritage Lottery Fund, as the team members and National Jazz Archive announced in the last find out what the project Loughton Library, Traps Hill newsletter, our HLF- will be offering to fans and Loughton, Essex supported project, the students of British jazz on IG10 1HD Story of British Jazz, is pages 3–4. 020 8502 4701 www.nationaljazzarchive.org.uk [email protected] LEGENDARY INTERVIEWER BECOMES INTERVIEWEE Continued from page 1 a packed schedule to come ‘Parky’ at 11 a.m. on Sundays and talk to us about his and there were regular legendary career – and lifelong reminders that the music of love of jazz. Louis Armstrong, Ella As usual, I’ll be hosting the Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Ben interview – a thought which, Webster – in fact anyone who between you and me, filled me belonged in the authentic with more than a dash of trepi- pantheon of jazz’s most dation when the idea first innovative years – was still came up. What, I wondered, worthy of more serious could I be doing interviewing a consideration and appreciation E. Baird Photo: F. man who will probably be than the sometimes disposable Sir Michael and Digby at the Royal Oak remembered as Britain’s best- fare of pop. ever talk-show host? His perceptive recognition Michael returns to his legend- Any worries I may have had of newer talents – such as ary vocation on Sky TV for a were, however, gloriously Michael Bublé and Diana Krall series called Masterclass, a dispelled by the time our first – ensured that later arrivals timely reminder of how the meeting was over. In 2012 Sir received similar honours, and craft of interviewing can – and Michael is as passionate about his faithful championship of should – be an exercise in jazz – and as concerned for Jamie Cullum on both radio enquiry and discovery, rather the preservation of the golden and television probably did as than shameless self-promotion years of its culture – as any much as anyone to elevate his on the part of the presenter. member of the Archive’s ever- protégé to international I’ll do my best to live up to widening circle. And he talks stardom. In short, Sir Michael his matchless example on 30 with both reverence and of Parkinson has launched an June, and I hope you’ll come course irreplaceable first-hand ever-welcome series of and join us for what I’m sure knowledge of many of the crusades both for jazz and for will be an unforgettable classic figures of our music, the Great British and afternoon. from Bing Crosby and Johnny American Songbooks – genre Mercer to Oscar Peterson and titles which themselves might Sir Michael Parkinson Buddy Rich. never have existed had he not will be our Just a few years ago it was coined them. special celebrity guest his morning shows on BBC And absolutely nothing has on Saturday 30 June, Radio 2 which became a haven changed. His most recent 1.30 - 4.30 p.m. of excellence for jazz lovers at show for Radio 2, entitled My at Loughton Methodist a point when a great deal of Favourite Things, arguably did Church, 260 High Road. the station’s programming more than any other to Tickets £12 revolved relentlessly around replace Humphrey Lyttelton’s from David Nathan at pop music’s golden oldies or much-missed Best of Jazz. And the Archive indie innovations. Tune in to his interviewer’s role is by no (cheques payable to the man the world knew – and means just a matter of glorious National Jazz Archive). knows – affectionately as memory, for this year Sir 2National Jazz Archive Newsletter Issue 24 Up and Running … Our Heritage Lottery Fund-supported project, the Story of British Jazz, is now firmly under way following the appointment of the project team in January. The 33-month project, which will present the story of British jazz through four key themes of People, Places, Watershed Moments, and Social and Cultural Dimensions, will secure the Archive’s collection for the long term and transform the experience of the visitor and user. It will allow our resources to be publicised and accessible to a greater number and variety of users, especially young people. Left to right: Sam Fieldhouse, Fiona Cormack MEET THE TEAM and Angela Davies The project team has significant experience relevant to the project: Learning and Outreach Officer: Sam Fieldhouse was previously Learning and Participation Officer Project Manager: Angela Davies undertook the for Chichester District Museum. He trained as a HLF project-development phase (2008–11) and teacher, and has since had broad experience of submitted the Archive’s successful bid to the directing learning in a heritage environment and Heritage Lottery Fund. She has over 20 years’ developing diverse learning programmes. He also experience in various aspects of access plays clarinet for the Roding Players. development, including the management of large- Sam is responsible for promoting an engaging scale digitisation projects. For the past 10 years she community programme of events, family activities has managed one of the UK’s premier online and opportunities for internships and volunteers. heritage image libraries. The events – including attendance and exhibiting at Angela is responsible for ensuring the success of UK jazz festivals – will raise the Archive’s profile as the project, quarterly reporting on progress, the UK’s foremost jazz research resource. making financial returns, and managing staff. Project Archivist: Fiona Cormack has a MA in THE STORY SO FAR archives and records management, and has previously worked at the Museum of London, the After a successful tendering process, the project National Maritime Museum, and the English Folk has already reached two significant early milestones Dance and Song Society. She also has an academic by appointing suppliers for its cataloguing software, background in music research. from Axiell CALM Ltd, and for its digitisation Fiona is responsible for managing the programme, through TownsWeb Archiving Ltd. development of the Archive, including storage and Cataloguing is now under way, and will eventually preservation strategies, cataloguing our wide- allow users to search the Archive’s holdings. Our ranging collection, advising on the copyright- first substantial batch of journals (over 10,000 clearance programme, coordinating the volunteers, pages) has been sent off for digitisation. These will and ensuring that at least 30,000 journal pages and be converted into PDF files and made available 1,000 ephemera items are digitised. through our new Story of British Jazz website. Issue 24 National Jazz Archive Newsletter 3 We have started the tendering process for the The Archive will be taking part in two local design of the Story of British Jazz website, and festivals: the Oakwood Hill Fun Day and Love expect to have appointed a designer by the end of Loughton. The Oakwood Hill Fun Day will be a April. The website is due to be launched in January family-oriented day with the Archive providing jazz- 2013. inspired craft activities aimed at young children. The Story of British Jazz project is building on our Love Loughton celebrates the huge variety of local existing partnership with the Essex Record Office groups and clubs that exist in the town, and the for provision of storage, conservation and Archive will be promoting the collection and the preservation facilities. existence of the Archive. There will be a stage with Our project will be presenting new live performances, and the Archive is looking for opportunities for our existing team of volunteers, willing performers. and we are also working with Epping Forest At the end of August the Archive will be Volunteer Bureau to recruit new volunteers. attending Bude Jazz 2012 in Cornwall, exhibiting We have been revising the Archive’s policy part of its extensive poster collection as well as documents to establish best-practice procedures. displaying a ‘pop-up’ archive with some star items The Archive will be taking part in Heritage Open from the collection. Days, a series of national events that promote free The project was awarded £346,300 from the access to heritage sites. For four days from 6 to 9 Heritage Lottery Fund, but still needs to raise a September the Archive will host free talks, tours, sizeable sum in ‘match funding’ both to achieve its drop-in sessions and performances that promote outcomes and to keep the project running when the Story of British Jazz. Family activities will engage the three-year investment period comes to an end.