Jamie Cullum with The Fabulous Baker Boys’ piano at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles

On Monday 29th April 2013 at 10:00pm, BBC Radio 2 will broadcast the first of two episodes exploring the relationship between jazz and film. Producer Ian Parkinson writes:

“This was a bit of a dream project for a radio producer – great stories and characters, a ready made soundtrack featuring some of the world’s best music and a presenter who is knowledgeable and passionate about the subject. We realised very early on that there was no point trying to cover the whole history of jazz and film, that’s a ten-part series at least, so we decided to focus on those areas that Jamie really loves – Ellington, the French New Wave, Woody Allen and Spike Lee among others. And also, of course, the Fabulous Baker Boys, which Jamie says was the film which inspired him to become a jazz pianist.

When Jamie talks with musicians like Terence Blanchard or even Clint Eastwood, there’s a mutual understanding and respect there which makes for really interesting and different interviews. We’re very pleased with the way the shows have turned out, but especially proud of the introduction, which we recorded with Jamie at the Biltmore Hotel in LA, where some of the Fabulous Baker Boys was shot. There’s a lot of love and time went into that sequence and we hope it comes across.”

The programmes were produced by Ian Parkinson and Karen Pearson of Folded Wing. Broadcast date for the second episode is Monday 6th May at 10:00pm.