July 2015 – I present a documentary on Free Jazz: music without rules, without preparation, with no safety net and no idea of what’s going to happen next.
Comedian Stewart Lee has a great private passion – musical, free improvisation. For over twenty years in diverse attics and cellars below pubs, hired rooms, concert halls and gig venues, Stewart has been immersing himself in this unique musical experience.
Now he sets out to answer a deceptively simple question: “What does it mean to play free – completely in the moment?”.
Beloved by its fans and baffling to its detractors, free improvisation has grown from a group of disaffected 1960s jazz musicians playing to three men and a dog to a globally respected and influential form heard regularly at international concert halls and festivals.
Through encounters with some of the scene’s most influential exponents – including Evan Parker, Maggie Nicols, Sarah Gail Brand, Steve Noble and John Edwards – Stewart Lee explores the remarkable reality of performing music without rules, without preparation, with no safety net and no idea of what’s going to happen next.
A Resonance production for BBC Radio 4.
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube