LEGEND PROFILE: David Jacobs CBE DL
Posted by Radiocafé on 16 Nov 2009 at 3:05 pm |
Category: 3. Light & Easy, 2. Vocal Gems, 1. General Music
David Jacobs is worthy of every superlative. He is quite simply one of the finest broadcasters we have ever produced; his weekly BBC Radio 2 show remains one of the few, true gems on air. He has been broadcasting for over half a century, and his charm, knowledge and professionalism make every show completely special.
Not all that long ago, David had a lunchtime show every weekday on Radio 2, in addition to his infamous Saturday morning slot. As one listener put it: “such a civilised way to spend lunchtime”. And how right that listener was. We were treated to a daily selection of all time greats, with music from stars such as Tony Bennett, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby being regulars on the Jacobs’ lunchtime menu. He and his then producer Anthony Wills not only hand-selected over a hundred great tracks each week, with plenty of light music classics from the likes of Paul Weston, Robert Farnon and Tutti Camarata, but also put hours of effort into researching information about the artists too.
The same effort goes into his show today, which a decade or so later, is just as good as ever. If you look up David on Wikipedia, the words “Disc Jockey” appear in brackets after his name. While David has presented many leading pop shows on radio (see his profile below), we prefer to think of David as a broadcaster. Carefully selecting the music for his show, informing the listeners about the artist, treating his audience with great respect, he demonstrates that radio is a craft, of which he is the master craftsman.
We cannot understand why, over the years, the BBC has assumed we want less of David’s style of radio, and as a result, his show has been farmed off to the last slot of the weekend, between Eleven and Midnight. Fortunately, though, with the advent of radio on demand, we can now access his show at any time we want. Those who like their classic vocalists and light orchestras, who are tucked up fast asleep in bed on a Sunday night, are encouraged to click here to take a listen to David’s wonderful programme.
We do worry where the next generation of David Jacobs’s will come from. Radio now seems to be about a constant stream of rock and pop being pumped from a hard drive, introduced by the latest flavour-of-the-month TV star or former Radio 1 rock DJ. Is there going to be a place on radio for the time and attention that the likes of David Jacobs and his producer Alan Boyd put into a broadcast? We sincerely hope so.
We are very grateful to have experienced so many years of truly enjoyable broadcasts from David Jacobs. Long may his weekly show, The David Jacobs Collection, continue.
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(6 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
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David-
Met up with you at radio SEAC in Colombo, Ceylon in 1947 - on day’s leave from troopship en-route to the UK from Burma.
Have ‘bet’ running that your co-producer/announcer was Sue McGregor in May of 1947 - can you please settle this little ‘old boy’s’ dispute?
My very best of good wishes-
Cheers-
Robert (Bob) O;Fallon
Family Historian
Thanks for your message, Robert.
We will pass this on to David.
All the best
Paul
I couldn’t agree with you more. What will happen to quality music on the BBC once the corporation has replaced true professionals such as David Jacobs.
In order to boost ratings the BBC seems to go for young presenters only who’s musical knowledge is limited to pop music
Thanks for a geat website
Hans
I have been livng in England since 1963.Going back to my teenage years in Ceylon as it was known in the 1950-1960,I recall the happy morning hours I spent listening to the ducet voice of David Jacobs on Radio Ceylon. I just want to thank him for those happy memories and wish him well
I am a big fan of David Jacobs and the “Collection,” In fact I’m listening to it on the iplayer as I’m writing this.
However I’m a little worried about David as his voice sounds a little slurred in recent weeks as though he may have had a stroke.
Is our friend OK? Perhaps someone could let me know.
Thank you
Peter
I to am listening to David as I am writing this and I think as a dentist it is just a mattar of new or possibly old dentures. Chin Chin David and off to the dentist with you,and keep the music coming, Franky.
I,as an octogenarian, have always admired David Rose’s programmes-has he made any discs I could listen to?. Unfortunately ,I am always asleep when his programme comes on at 11pm.
I pray to God David will be around for many years to come. Because Radio will never be the same without him. I used to hear references to his similarity to the late Christopher Stone. Mr Stone should be so lucky!
His tribute to Dean Martin show was awesome.
May I begin my comments by wishing David Jacobs,(or ‘Mr. DJ’ as he was for some time known), Many Happy Returns for his birthday on the 19th May.
I grew up listening to people such as David, John Dunn, Ray Moore, Paul Hollingdale, Bruce Wyndham, Jimmy Hanley, Alan Freeman, Michael Aspel, Sam Costa ,Jimmy Young, Pete Murray, Bob Holness, Terry Wogan, David Symonds, Kenny Everett, Tony Blackburn, Stuart Henry, Johnnie Walker,Tom Edwards, John Peel and not forgetting lady broadcasters such as Jean Metcalfe, Val Singleton, Sue McGregor and many more.
It seemed to be the case that to be on radio, one had to have a decent voice and, if broadcasting nationally with an accent, it would be a moderated one.
‘Plummy’ voices were certainly on the wane during the nineteen sixties and were to be replaced by ‘accentless’ voices which, I suspect, would have been acceptable to many listeners.
Broadcasting does change throughout the decades, although I wonder if really pronounced regional accents are better off on Local Radio rather than National.
There are a few of todays broadcasters on Radios 1 and 2 who are quite good and, as regards New Music, in which I still have an interest, its cause, I believe, would be better served by finding a broadcaster with a comparable style to the late John Peel. Unlike Peel, the current crop of broadcasters appear to want to keep New Music exclusively targeted at a young audience. John Peel managed to attract audiences over a wide age spectrum. I believe that this was a healthy situation.
Other than that, I understand that more of the population are listening to radio now than ever before. This can only be a good thing because as Dave Lee Travis allegedly put it,(on radio), ” the pictures are better”.
We actually stay awake on Sunday evenings just to hear all of David Jacob’s wonderful show - it’s usually ‘lights out’ at 11.00pm.
Last week’s programme was extra special for me, as he played Rogers & Hammerstein’s ‘Carousel’ and ‘Oklahoma’ both of which I have performed with local societies.
Thank you, thank you, David.
Jill