Cafe OTO, in association with the British Film Institute, presents a day-long immersion in another era: one in which there were only four TV channels, and a music community that was struggling to be seen and heard.

We bring together four extremely rare programmes, scarcely seen at the time and never repeated, which show Café OTO regulars and other legends of the improvisation/jazz scene at work and in concert. Marvel at the earliest known film of Derek Bailey (Omnibus: British Jazz, 1973), Spike Milligan introducing The Tony Oxley Unit (Open Door, 1974), wild film of Evan Parker and Paul Lytton in performance (Aquarius, 1975), and Fred Frith giving a comic demonstration of his approach to sound (Jazz on 4, 1983).

This event is a reflection on the struggle to get heard in the mainstream – is it better to reject a public service broadcaster, or a great way to reach the unsuspecting listener? The Musicians’ Action Group, who made the Open Door programme, fought for better exposure for jazz musicians – but it remained a struggle, and is even more so today.

These four programmes show how sympathetic producers, often fans of the music, made it possible for viewers to discover it for themselves.

PROGRAMME TWO

Sounds Amazing! (London Weekend Television, 1975) is one of the most unusual programmes to go out on ITV, let alone at teatime. As TV Times put it, ‘This Aquarius film is about musical explorers who are extending the language of music in unusual ways.’ Our ‘sound poets’ are Max Eastley, David Toop, Paul Burwell, Hugh Davies, Evan Parker and Paul Lytton.

In Crossing Bridges (Channel 4, 1983), a midnight special for Jazz on 4, six innovative guitarists talk about their ideas and give a studio demonstration of their music. Spend an unforgettable hour with Fred Frith, Brian Godding, John Russell, Ron Geesin, Hans Reichel and Keith Rowe.

For the evening panel session, we reunite Evan Parker, David Toop and Max Eastley, the stars of LWT's Sounds Amazing! (1975), alongside musician and broadcaster Sarah Gail Brand and guest chair Stewart Smith

Total event runtime: 150 minutes approx.

Thanks to the British Film Institute for permission to screen these programmes as part of the Performers Alliance Agreement. There is a 25% discount for entry to members of Equity, Writers Guild and the Musicians’ Union. Please present your membership card on arrival.