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Somerset Blues: The Story of Acker Bilk

Clarke Peters presents a profile of jazz clarinettist Acker Bilk, who had top ten hits with Stranger on the Shore and Aria.

A West Country man through and through, Acker Bilk was one of Britain's finest jazz clarinettists, who had top ten hits with Stranger on the Shore and Aria. Clarke Peters tells his story with the help of Acker's friends, colleagues and associates.

His personal manager Pamela Sutton reveals the man behind the bowler hat and the fancy waistcoat, who was also a gifted artist, painting landscapes of his beloved Somerset. Band-members Ken Sims, Roy James, Rico Tomasso and Ian Bateman recall Acker on the road, and in an archive interview Michael Winner remembers Acker's work on movie soundtracks.

His contemporary Chris Barber remembers the many "Three B's" concerts that they played together with fellow bandleader Kenny Ball, and author George McKay remembers the time when Acker was so popular there were riots among his beatnik fans!

57 minutes

Last on

Tue 20 Jan 2015 22:00

Broadcast

  • Tue 20 Jan 2015 22:00

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