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Les Diaboliques

Jez Nelson presents a concert given by European improvising trio Les Diaboliques, featuring British vocalist Maggie Nicols, pianist Irene Schweizer and bassist Joelle Leandre.

Jez Nelson presents European improvising trio Les Diaboliques, featuring British vocalist Maggie Nicols, pianist Irene Schweizer and bassist Joelle Leandre. The group has performed and recorded together since the early 1990s. Blurring the lines between free improvisation, satire and cabaret, they draw on their individual work in theatre as well as over three decades spent at the heart of the European free-improv scene, playing with everyone from Derek Bailey to Han Bennink. Also on the programme, trombonist Gail Brand interviews Nicols, shedding light on a career that stretches back to membership of John Stevens' Spontaneous Music Ensemble in the late 1960s, and includes co-founding the Feminist Improvising Group, the first all-female ensemble of its kind, ten years later.

Presenter: Jez Nelson
Studio guests: Geoffrey Smith & Gail Brand
Producers: Chris Elcombe & Peggy Sutton.

1 hour, 30 minutes

Last on

Mon 30 Apr 2012 23:00

Music Played

  • Geoffrey Smith’s Jazz

    • Sonny Rollins

      Four

      • Now’s The Time.
      • RCA.
  • Gail Brand introduces Jez to Maggie Nicols

    • Maggie Nicols and Marcel Cuypers

      Willow Weep For Me

      Unreleased (recorded 1984), courtesy of Martin Davidson at Emanem Records

  • Gail Brand in conversation with Maggie Nicols

    • John Stevens' Spontaneous Music Ensemble

      Oliv II

      • Spontaneous Music Ensemble.
      • Polydor.
    • Voice

      Voice - Louis Kappa

      Recording courtesy of Brian Eley

    • Voice

      Ego Worry

      Recording courtesy of Brian Eley

      • Voice.
      • Ogun.
    • Maggie Nicols and Peter Nu

      Dynamite Dream

      • Nicols ’N’ Nu.
      • Leo.
    • Feminist Improvising Group

      Stockholm - Women's Festival - 20th August '78

      Unreleased, recording courtesy of Sally Potter

      • Feminist Improvising Group.
  • Les Diaboliques, recorded in Donaueschingen, Germany, on 15 October 2011

    • Untitled

      Line-up: Maggie Nicols (voice), Irène Schweizer (piano), Joëlle Léandre (bass)

    • Les Diaboliques

      Almost Straight Ahead

      Composer: Maggie Nicols, Irène Schweizer, Joëlle Léandre

    • Les Diaboliques

      Mercurial Drama

      Composer: Maggie Nicols, Irène Schweizer, Joëlle Léandre

    • Les Diaboliques

      Tongue Talking

      Composer: Maggie Nicols, Irène Schweizer, Joëlle Léandre

    • Les Diaboliques

      Valse Diaboliques III

      Composer: Maggie Nicols, Irène Schweizer, Joëlle Léandre

  • Gail Brand in conversation with Maggie Nicols

    • Mesmerise

      Vivid Black

      • Vivid Black.
      • Self-released.
  • International Jazz Selection

    • Akira Sakata

      The Death of Kiso

      • The Tale of Heike.
      • P & C doubtmusic.

Broadcast

  • Mon 30 Apr 2012 23:00

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