Linton jazzes up the airwaves (From Stroud News and Journal)

Linton jazzes up the airwaves

A RODBOROUGH man is to take to the airwaves this weekend with the first in a four part series on Jewish folk music called klezmer, entitled Rhythm and Jews - the story of klezmer.

Linton Chiswick moved to Rodborough in February last year and works as a screenwriter, broadcaster and journalist.

"I've done a fair bit of jazz-related radio," he said, "but this has particularly been a labour of love, something I pitched to the BBC through the Somethin' Else production company.

"I've been fascinated by Ashkenazi Jewish culture for a long time, studying Yiddish language a little, reading Singer, and, with an ear steeped in jazz from age 10, relating to klezmer very strongly from the moment I first chanced across it."

The series will be broadcast in the Jazz File slot on BBC Radio and features some haunting and beautiful music as well as delightful interviews.

"It will hopefully answer the questions what is klezmer, where did it come from? Why was is it suddenly popular again the 1970s in California? What is it doing right now, and why does a lot of it sound like experimental jazz?" he said.

"Just as importantly, I hope it gives a sense of the culture of the music.

"Over the years, I've talked to Allen Ginsberg, Woody Allen and many others, but I can honestly say that I've never spoken to so many creative, intelligent, entertaining, eccentric people as during the making of this series."

Episode one is broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on Saturday, July 30 and covers klezmer's Eastern European roots and instrumental techniques. It features demos by Margot Leverett and Merlin Shepherd.