THE KID IS AT THE CONTROLS ONCE AGAIN ON JAZZ FM

David “Kid” Jensen returns for a third series playing the music of his first love: jazz

Broadcasting veteran David “Kid” Jensen is to return to Jazz FM for a third series of David Jensen’s Jazz, as he once again dives into his extensive jazz collection.

Airing for an extended eight-week run across April and May, the programme will air from Saturday 8th April at 9pm each week.

The series starts just three days before World Parkinson’s Day, which takes place on Tuesday 11th April. David has been living with Parkinson’s for over a decade and is an ambassador for Parkinson’s UK. This third series will see Jazz FM team up with the charity once again to raise awareness of the condition and the hard work taking place to find better treatments and a cure.

David has been broadcasting for over 50 years on some of the UK’s biggest radio stations such as Radio Luxembourg, Radio’s 1 and 2 and Capital Radio and fronting TV music shows like Top Of The Pops, but once again he’s back treating us to a hand-picked selection of his first love – jazz music.

David’s first two series – an annual occurrence since 2021 – saw him engage with the audience in his love of the genre that came from his trumpet-playing professional jazz musician father in his homeland Canada along with his first broadcasts on CJOV FM in the mid-1960s.

David – nicknamed ‘Kid’ because he was the youngest radio presenter in Europe at the time and it has stayed with him ever since – mainly had a career playing pop and rock music, becoming better known for championing new bands like The Grateful Dead, The Police and Duran Duran.

On returning for a third series, David Jensen said: “It’s so great to be back on Jazz FM in association with my friends from Parkinson’s UK. Regular listeners will hopefully look forward to some more of my favourite tunes, peppered with some anecdotes from my 50 years in the business, and new listeners may be intrigued to hear that this old pop DJ is a not-so-secret Jazz fanatic.”

On working with Jazz FM and David Jensen, Paul Jackson-Clark, Director of Fundraising & Experience at Parkinson’s UK, said: “David is a fantastic ambassador for Parkinson’s UK and the wider Parkinson’s community. His determination to increase understanding of the condition among the wider public is one of many reasons why he is such an inspiration. We are absolutely delighted that he will be stepping up to the microphone once again at Jazz FM and raising awareness through his show. It’s wonderful that it returns to coincide with World Parkinson’s Day, which is all about celebrating the bright and the brilliant. David is a shining example of that.

“Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world and currently there is no cure. Current treatments aren’t good enough, and people can experience distressing side effects from their medication. Thanks to the support of the public, we’re making the research breakthroughs we need to develop better treatments and a cure, transforming the lives of people with Parkinson’s, their families, friends and carers. Thank you to David and Jazz FM for their generous support.”

Jazz FM’s Content Director Nick Pitts adds: “Kid remains one of the greatest broadcasters of his generation. His enthusiasm still shines through, regardless of his battles with Parkinson’s, and his selection shows both his extensive knowledge plus his continuing curiosity in the jazz world today.  He also uses the show as an opportunity to tell his stories of meeting the famous musicians and they really are some of the best: in the past he has regaled us with stories of interviewing Sir Van Morrison on a bed face down and how Gil Scott Heron chased after him down the streets of Nottingham to say hi, so we can’t wait to hear what stories we’ll get this time.”

“Also, it fills me with pride that we can continue our partnership to Parkinson’s UK once again. We know that the charity is so central to David so to give him and them an opportunity to once again educate and inform our listeners on this neurological condition, which 145,000 people in the UK are living with, is something that I’m pleased we can help with and make happen.”

“David Jensen’s Jazz”
starts on Saturday 8th April until Saturday 27th April (8 weeks) from 9-10pm

– ENDS –

For further press information, please contact:

Amelia O’Shea – Head of Communications, Bauer Media Audio UK
E: amelia.oshea@bauermedia.co.uk M: 07531 949693

Cat Martin – Communications Director, Bauer Media Audio
E: cat.martin@bauermedia.co.uk M: 07932 746 363

For more information about Parkinson’s and Parkinson’s UK, please contact the Parkinson’s UK press office on 020 7963 9370 or pr@parkinsons.org.uk

About Jazz FM:

Jazz FM is the largest commercial jazz station in the world, celebrating the complete spectrum of Jazz in all its colourful forms since 1990.  Jazz FM broadcasters, producers and team are true devotees, with a deep love and understanding of their particular Jazz shade, their passion is vivid, their enthusiasm infectious, sharing the finest jazz with everyone.

As the UK’s only dedicated Jazz broadcaster, Jazz FM is on a mission to entertain, promote and celebrate all that’s great about Jazz. Involvement with national festivals and awards is part of this – setting the bar high for live performance, recognising outstanding talent and strengthening the Jazz community.

No matter how people tune-in they always listen in colour.

About Parkinson’s and Parkinson’s UK:

Parkinson’s is what happens when the brain cells that make dopamine start to die. There are more than 40 symptoms, from tremor and pain to anxiety. Some are treatable, but the drugs can have serious side effects. It gets worse over time and there’s no cure. Yet.

Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world. Around 145,000 people in the UK have Parkinson’s.

For more facts and statistics, please click here.

Further information, advice and support is available on our website, www.parkinsons.org.uk, or our free, confidential helpline on 0808 800 0303