“Audio archeology with James Errington. This time we head back to 1937, a frankly astonishing year for swing in America and France, as well as for classic blues, country, Cuban son, Greek rebetika, and even a couple of things from the UK.”
Time: 6pm GMT, Sunday 22nd January 2023 Place: Cambridge 105 Radio
You can listen to the show on 105fm in Cambridge, on DAB digital across South Cambridgeshire, on the Cambridge 105 website here, or on any good radio apps, or (as the show has already finished) you can play the whole extended version on this handy mixcloud player.
This year’s Christmas show features me as usual, presenting a selection of Christmas music from the 1920s and 1930s, joined by my son Theo to share opinions and commentary.
You can have listened to the show on 105fm in Cambridge, on DAB digital nationwide, on the Cambridge 105 website here, or on any good radio apps. Or if you want to listen at a time which is not 6pm on Christmas day, a Mixcloud player with an extended cut of the show is available below. Merry Christmas!
“James Errington takes a trip back to 1936, with peak swing-era cuts from Benny Goodman, Teddy Wilson, Billie Holiday, Gene Krupa and Lionel Hampton, haunted delta blues from Robert Johnson and some truly transporting music from Django Reinhardt et Le Quintette Du Hot Club De France, avec Stéphane Grappelli. It’s nobody’s favourite year for history, but it’s an incredible one for music.”
Time: 6pm BST, Sunday 28th August 2022 Place: Cambridge 105 Radio
You can listen to the show on 105fm in Cambridge, on DAB digital across South Cambridgeshire, on the Cambridge 105 website here, or on any good radio apps, or (as the show has already finished) you can play the whole extended version on this handy mixcloud player.
Time: 6pm BST, Sunday 26th June 2022 Place: Cambridge 105 Radio
You can listen to the show on 105fm in Cambridge, on DAB digital across South Cambridgeshire, on the Cambridge 105 website here, or on any good radio apps, or (since the show has already been broadcast) you can play the whole extended version on this handy mixcloud player.
Time: 6pm GMT, Sunday 27th February 2022 Place: Cambridge 105 Radio
Another trip into the archives with James Errington, this time to 1933. It’s the worst year of the great depression, terrible things are afoot in Europe, but with the first golden age of Hollywood, all America seems to want to do is celebrate. It’s an odd moment, then, but one with some fantastic music.
You can listen to the show on 105fm in Cambridge, on DAB digital across South Cambridgeshire, on the Cambridge 105 website here, or on any good radio apps, or you can play the whole extended version on this handy mixcloud player.
Tracks featured
Maurice Jaubert – Zéro De Conduite – If The Kids Are United Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra – Toby Las Estrellas Hababeras – Buey Viejo Art Tatum – Tiger Rag Lightnin’ Washington – Long John Ethel Waters – Stormy Weather Ginger Rogers & Fred Astaire – Music Makes Me Casa Loma Orchestra – White Jazz Bessie Smith – Gimme A Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer Clarence Ashley & Gwen Foster – Bay Rum Blues Roots Groucho Marx & Margaret Dumont – The Laws Of My Administration Carmen Miranda – Alvorada (Samba) Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra – Sophisticated Lady Georg Kulenkampff – Tambourin Chinois (Kreisler) Arthur Schnabel – Sonata No 22 In F Major, Op 54 Ii Allegretto Harry Roy – Bugle Call Rag (Piano Duet – Ivor Moreton & Dave Kaye) Spike Hughes And His Orchestra – How Come You Do Me Like You Do? Boswell Sisters – Shuffle Off To Buffalo Big Bill Broonzy – How You Want It Done? Wilmouth Houdini and his Humming Bird – Trinidad Hurricane Fernando Vilches & Ramon Montoya – Flor De Petenera Jimmie Rodgers – Gambling Bar Room Blues Marta Eggerth – Ave Maria (Schubert)
Time: 6pm GMT, Sunday 23rd January 2022 Place: Cambridge 105 Radio
Another trip back in time, with original sounds from the year 1932, curated by James Errington. Aside from jazz we have foundational blues and roots recordings, highlights from Hollywood and Broadway, and an interview with White Town’s Jyoti Mishra about Al Bowlly, who he sampled on his 1997 number one hit Your Woman.
You can listen to the show on 105fm in Cambridge, on DAB digital across South Cambridgeshire, on the Cambridge 105 website here, or on any good radio apps, or (as the show has already gone out and it is too late to do any of these things) you can play the whole extended version (and this is a particularly extended one) on this handy mixcloud player.
Tracks played
The Philadelphia Orchestra, Conducted By Leopold Stokowski – Schoenberg’s Gurre-Lieder (Excerpt) Lew Stone with Al Bowlly – My Woman Ray Noble And His New Mayfair Orchestra, Vocal Al Bowlly – Love Is The Sweetest Thing White Town – Your Woman Dua Lipa – Love Again The Three Keys – Jig Time Fred Astaire with The Leo Reisman Orchestra – Night And Day Cab Calloway And His Orchestra – Reefer Man Duke Ellington And His Famous Orchestra – It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra – Hobo, You Can’t Ride This Train Silvio Caldas – E Ela Não Jurou Josephine Baker – Ram Pam Pam Cheikha Tetma – Ach Hal Men Ijarra B.S. Krishnamurthi Sastrigal – Gottuvadyam Instrumental Kouta Katsutaro – Shima No Musume Roger Wolfe Kahn – Fit As A Fiddle Don Redman & His Orchestra – I Got Rhythm Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra – Take Me Away From The River Sidney Bechet And His New Orleans Feetwarmers – Maple Leaf Rag The Boswell Sisters – Everybody Loves My Baby Big Bill Broonzy – How You Want It Done? Pinetop And Lindberg – I Believe I’ll Make A Change Noel Coward – The Party’s Over Now / Let’s Say Goodbye
Time: 8pm GMT, Saturday 25th December Place: Cambridge 105 Radio
In this festive edition of Centuries of Sound, audio curator James Errington is joined by his son Theo to check out some Christmas records from the years 1902 to 1924. We have choirs, carols, brass bands, and of course a selection of bizarre novelty Christmas wax cylinders for your Christmas evening listening
You can listen to the show on 105fm in Cambridge, on DAB digital across Cambridgeshire, on the Cambridge 105 website here, or on any good radio apps, or play the whole extended version on this mixcloud player.
Time: 6pm BST, Sunday 28th November Place: Cambridge 105 Radio
James Errington presents an archaeological investigation into the year 1930. Wall Street has crashed, the great depression has arrived, record James Errington takes you on a journey to 1931, a year of sleazy pre-code speakeasy jazz, guitar blues from the Mississippi Delta, relentlessly inventive vocal groups, perhaps the first ever football song, and much more!
You can listen to the show on 105fm in Cambridge, on DAB digital across Cambridgeshire, on the Cambridge 105 website here, or on any good radio apps, or play the whole extended version on this mixcloud player.
Time: 6pm BST, Sunday 24th October Place: Cambridge 105 Radio
In this very special episode of Centuries of Sound, sound curator James Errington plays a selection of Halloween-themed recordings from the acoustic recording era, prior to 1927. Be ready for ghosts, skeletons, vampires, Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, “The Goose Bone Man” and Mr Halloween himself, Aleister Crowley
You can listen to the show on 105fm in Cambridge, on DAB digital, on the Cambridge 105 website here, or on any good radio apps, or play the whole extended version on this mixcloud player, as you’ve already missed it.
Time: 6pm BST, Sunday 26th September Place: Cambridge 105 Radio
James Errington presents an archaeological investigation into the year 1930. Wall Street has crashed, the great depression has arrived, record sales are down 95%, but the music goes on! Featuring Louis Armstrong, Jimmie Rodgers, Cab Calloway, Marlene Dietrich, Blind Willie Johnson and much more.
You can listen to the show on 105fm in Cambridge, on DAB digital, on the Cambridge 105 website here, or on any good radio apps, or play the whole extended version on this mixcloud player, as you’ve already missed it.