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Ken Clarke's Jazz Greats - Bessie Smith
Born in abject poverty and killed aged 43, Bessie Smith forged a new jazz sound. Ken and George Melly pay tribute. From 2004.
Bessie Smith was born in abject poverty.
Singing on street corners before her tenth birthday and tragically killed just 32 years later, she had crammed a lot of hard living into that relatively short life.
Ken Clarke talks to George Melly about the woman who brought together the blues and ragtime traditions to forge a new sound in jazz.
Producer: Paul Evans
First broadcast on 麻豆社 Radio 4 in January 2004.
Last on
Fri 17 Dec 2021
02:30
麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra
Broadcasts
- Fri 13 Oct 2017 06:30麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra
- Fri 13 Oct 2017 13:30麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra
- Fri 13 Oct 2017 20:30麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra
- Sat 14 Oct 2017 01:30麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra
- Thu 16 Dec 2021 14:30麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra
- Fri 17 Dec 2021 02:30麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra