‘The Lost Tapes’ Series 3 Announced: Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Lee Morgan and more….
A third series of exclusive never-before-heard interviews airs from Sunday, taken from the tapes recorded by the late journalist Les Tomkins, now held by the UK’s National Jazz Archive
Last updated 2nd May 2023
Jazz FM’s series that explores the archives of journalist Les Tomkins returns for a third time featuring more never-before heard interviews with some of the titans of the jazz world.
A partnership with the National Jazz Archive, the series – hosted once again by Helen Mayhew - will see four programmes featuring long since departed jazz icons Lee Morgan (d.1972, recorded in 1965), Mary Lou Williams (d.1981, recorded in 1969), Dizzy Gillespie (d.1993, recorded in 1973), George Shearing (d.2011, recorded in 1976) and Count Basie (d.1984, recorded in 1965).
Conversations were recorded by print journalist and jazz expert Les Tomkins, used to help him write his jazz articles for, amongst others, Jazz News, Crescendo and Melody Maker. Les’s family bequeathed the library of recordings to the UK’s National Jazz Archive when he died in 2020. These interviews have never been broadcast before.
The two previous series of ‘The Lost Tapes’ featured his unheard interviews with Oscar Peterson, Art Blakey, Sarah Vaughan, Quincy Jones, Blossom Dearie and Horace Silver.
Jazz FM’s Content Director Nick Pitts says: “It’s great to be working with the National Jazz Archive once again to give our audience access to these gems. Many of these interviews were recorded backstage before the subject was about to perform to an adoring audience, and what they provide is so personal and a great insight to these artists when they were at the height of their fame and notoriety. They certainly never had any idea how much pleasure they would bring to an audience in 2023.”
Who is hosting the series?
The Lost Tapes will once again be hosted by Helen Mayhew, with each episode featuring highlights from the many hours of interviews with long since departed legends.
When can I listen to The Lost Tapes?
The series will be presented by Helen Mayhew. You can listen to the four-part series Sundays at 9pm, with the first episode airing on the 7th of May:
7th May: Lee Morgan - Recorded on 7th March 1965 at CTS Studios, Bayswater
14th May: Mary Lou Williams - Recorded on 6th November 1969 at the White House Hotel
21st May: Dizzy Gillespie - Recorded on 31st July 1973 at the Mayfair Hotel
28th May: George Shearing and Count Basie - Double episode featuring interviews with Count Basie, recorded on 21st Sept 1965 (location unknown) and George Shearing, recorded on 30th March 1976 at the Dorchester Hotel
What is the National Jazz Archive?
The National Jazz Archive is a registered charity founded in 1988. The Archive holds the UK’s finest collection of written, printed and visual material on jazz, blues and related music, from 1919 to the present day.
The Archive is based in Loughton Library in Essex, with a satellite archive at Birmingham City University. Together they hold more than 4000 reference books, specialist journals and bulletins spanning over 800 titles, around 40 personal collections, artwork, ephemera and photographs, along with an extensive oral history collection. It is the story of art, fashion, cultural diversity and social progress.