Saturday, January 29, 2011

BBC Russian Service and its importance to jazz!

Answer: LEO FEIGIN

Leo, while working for the BBC Russian Service, smuggled out of Russia some of the free jazz for which the scene is a better place: Ganelin Trio, Trio Archangelsk. To finance this he released albums by Anthony Braxton, Marilyn Crispell and more.

Leo Records is the upshot. Long may they continue.

Leo was succeeded at the BBC Russian Service by Alexander Kan, himself also a lover of this music, who has brought to UK, inter alia, Evelina Petrova and sorted out tours for the likes of Acoustic Ladyland in Russia.

I hope that this is duly noted by the powers that be as a spin-off of major importance. Politicians need to look beyond the ends of their noses.

There's a bit more about Leo here.

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