Anton du Beke talks bringing festive classics to Jazz FM

Anton is dancing his way into the radio studio this December 25th…

This Christmas Day Strictly Come Dancing judge and former professional dancer on the BBC One celebrity ballroom battle series is heading over to Jazz FM to bring two hours of festive jazz classics to the airwaves.

Here Anton talks his Jazz FM show, his love for the genre, what he would ask the other Strictly judges to do if they were invited round to his house on Christmas Day and his New Year resolution!

What can we expect from your Jazz FM Christmas special?

Just Christmas on a stick! It’s just all my favourite songs really, all those classic standards, incredible music and marvellous singers – people like Ella Fitzgerald and Frank and Sammy and Sarah Vaughan. I’m playing a couple of new talents as well, the wonderful Stella Cole and Samara Joy.

I’m really excited about both of them, really excited to see what they do because they sound like they’ve been around for years, they’ve got these really seasoned wonderful voices, but they’re both only about 25 so I’m really excited to follow their careers now. I’ve never felt that way really because most of the people I love are well.. dead!

Where did your love of jazz come from?

Well, I grew up with it and of course we dance to a lot of those standards but it’s the orchestrations really that I love. These great bands, the Count Basie’s and Lionel Hampton’s –  that sort of thing. It’s difficult to put your finger on it really but the vocals are great, everyone is singing properly, the music is incredible because all the musicians are remarkable – which is not to denigrate modern music which is brilliant as well – but it’s a different style and a different way of making it. I love that too, I’ve got a very eclectic taste in music, but the one I feel I’m closest to is this style of music and it’s what I like dancing to as well.

Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton du Beke at the Jazz FM studio / Bauer Radio

Is there a particular artist/album/song you would recommend to a jazz novice to start with?

My advice is to start with the jazz standards – they are the classics that we would know as swing – the great artists – Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Frankie, Sammy, Sarah Vaughan. A lot of them have recorded the same track but in their own styles and it’s really interesting to see what they do with it.

For example, a song I did in my show is ‘All of Me’. Now if you take Michael Buble’s modern version it’s lovely but then you take Frank and then you listen to Ella’s version and then Sarah Vaughan does it and it all goes in a different direction. The same song but it changes so dramatically and it’s wonderful to listen to what they do with these different pieces of music. And then you spread your wings from there – to abstract jazz, or not, and find the type of jazz that you love.

What does Christmas look like in the du Beke household?

Chaos! The twins are seven and are uber-excited, although there will be no doubt be tears when something doesn’t work properly, but then we’ll have more excitement and it’s just brilliant, I love it…

You’ve invited the other Strictly judges to your house for Christmas Day – what jobs are you going to give them?

Have I?! Oh god! I’ll let Motsi take over the music, I’ll let Craig take over the drinks and I’ll get Shirley to take care of the dancing…

Any New Year resolutions?

Learn to play the piano! I’m going to let you in to a little secret – it’s the same resolution as last year, but this year I’m going to commit…

Anton du Beke: Christmas Jazz Classics, Jazz FM, Christmas Day, 5 – 7pm