Two more broomsticks please!' Was Robin Blades the greatest percussionist ever?

"Saturday night and the Britten Studio at Snape Maltings is filling up with 300 chattering punters. We are about to record a show that will go out as live on BBC Radio 3. This is a one-shot wonder: for one night only, in this drama-documentary, we are exploring the work of percussionist James Blades. Our setup neatly combines the most stressful elements of a live show, plus the key aspect of audience participation which we have obviously no proper chance to rehearse. Nerves are fraying."

"Born in 1901, Blades was one of the great percussionists of the 20th century, whose life spanned the century itself he died in May 1999. His blazing talent combined with a startling capacity for hard work took him to the top of his profession and later made him a mentor to music stars as varied as rock drummer Carl Palmer, percussionist Evelyn Glennie and a young Simon Rattle."

"Blades himself was entirely self-taught. The only drummers he saw, growing up in working-class Peterborough before the first world war, were the man with the big bass drum in the Salvation Army and, as a 14-year-old apprentice at the foundry, the chap who played in the works band. But when young Jim showed an interest, the works-band-drummer told him to clear off."

A one-night live drama-documentary records the work of percussionist James Blades before a 300-person audience at the Britten Studio, combining live performance stress and unrehearsed audience participation. Born in 1901 and dying in May 1999, Blades became one of the 20th century's leading percussionists through talent and relentless hard work. He was entirely self-taught, raised in working-class Peterborough, and overcame early discouragement to pursue drumming. He mentored figures from rock drummer Carl Palmer and percussionist Evelyn Glennie to conductor Simon Rattle, and collaborated with cultural figures such as Chaplin, Auden and Hitchcock. He toured widely giving lectures and demonstrations, inspiring children and spreading musical opportunity.

Read at www.theguardian.com