Before the influential broadcaster and tastemaker Gilles Peterson was breaking talent on the BBC, he was climbing rooftops as a radio pirate, championing great black music. Now he’s the industry standard in creating diverse playlists that explode musical boundaries.
In this Checkout podcast, Peterson reflects back on his piratical youth, when he was forced to change his name to conceal his identity as an illegal broadcaster. We discuss all things jazz, and how using the "j-word" can be a disservice to promoting the music he loves. Peterson shares his favorite music pilgrimage destination — and surprisingly, it isn't in Cuba or Brazil.
It's clear Peterson's passion for music hasn’t waned in the slightest over the years. He's got more new music slated to release on his Brownswood label than ever before, with a renewed focus on showcasing London’s red-hot jazz scene. Peterson’s compilation We Out Here, out today, features some not-to-be missed tracks from Moses Boyd, Shabaka Hutchings, Joe Armon Jones and others.
Peterson also recently hosted BBC Music Introducing at the Winter Jazzfest, so you can now watch sets by Nubya Garcia and The Comet is Coming.
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Full Playlist
"Pure Shade," Ezra Collective, We Out Here
"The Balance," Moses Boyd, We Out Here
"Rye Lane Shuffle," Moses Boyd
"It's A Trip," The Last Poets, Delights Of The Garden
"The Night Has A Thousand Eyes," John Coltrane
"Black Skin Black Mask," Shabaka Hutchings, We Out Here
"They're Peepin'," Sun Ra Arkestra, A Song For The Sun
"Go See," Joe Armon-Jones, We Out Here
Production Assistance: Anthony Nieves
