Witty and warm, James Valentine lifted the spirits of a city
James Valentine, who has died aged 64, was a musician and jazz enthusiast who brought his love of improvisation and creativity to the world of talkback radio. His audience was his orchestra, and he was their conductor.
He offered great intelligence and wisdom, as well as an appreciation for the rich drama and joy of daily life. He lifted the spirits of a city for 25 years Monday through Friday on 702 ABC Radio.
Valentine was born in the Victorian city of Ballarat in 1961; Her father, Peter, runs a car dealership and other local businesses, while her mother, Nina, hosts the local radio station.
He was educated at Ballarat Grammar School, where he happily discovered his talent for performing, debating and playing music. That’s where his love affair with the saxophone began.
Music took him to Melbourne, where he studied classical saxophone at the University of Melbourne from 1980. He soon began moonlighting with groups around the city.
Diana Ross’ cover band Diana Boss and the Extremes was her introduction to musicians Kate Ceberano and James Freud, who would play a role in her future musical career.
In 1982, he toured with Joe Camilleri’s band, Jo Jo Zep and The Falcons, and Kate Cebrano. In 1984, he joined The Models, where James Freud was the lead vocalist.
Valentine’s saxophone became an important part of the band’s success. Unlike the bluesy saxophone sound common at the time, Valentine’s classical training allowed him to use the instrument’s full palette, playing with confidence and determined force. He also brought an ancient, playful spirit to the band’s stage shows.
Models achieved significant success, including a number one hit. Out of My Mind, Out of My Eyesand number two single BarbadosIt features an extended Valentine saxophone solo.
Valentine left the band in 1987, shortly before it disbanded. He jump-started his television career by hosting ABC-TV programs. Afternoon Show A roundup of after-school cartoons as well as live-action shows like – Doctor Who And beauties. He presented the program while playing music in Sydney from 1987 to 1990; this included a three-year stint with Absent Friends, which included Sean Kelly and Wendy Matthews. That group also achieved great success I Don’t Want to Be With Anyone But You It won Best Single at the 1991 ARIA Awards.
Valentine realized radio’s mistake after hearing John Doyle’s smart, quirky afternoon program on the ABC’s local Sydney station 2BL (now known as ABC Radio Sydney).
“I like this,” he thought, and then-station manager Peter Wall agreed to give him a chance. Valentine quickly proved his aptitude for radio with an increasing number of backup shifts.
A permanent job at the ABC’s Canberra station followed, and its success led to a similar offer in Sydney. After a brief stint presenting Mornings on 2BL, in 1999 he was placed in the slot: he did it himself: afternoons.
While many people describe “talkback radio” as a chance to ask listeners to express their political views, Valentine saw the opportunity as something more nurturing and certainly more enjoyable.
Working with longtime producer Jennifer Fleming, she came up with a rotating series of episodes with names like “This Is What I Live,” “Rant,” and “Guide to Form,” all of which invite viewers to delve into their own lives, often with hilarious results.
Valentine brought an interesting mix of sweetness and acidity to the role; His sarcastic wit coexists with his cheerful and loving disposition. It was improvisational jazz meets talk radio.
He also demanded considerable creativity from his audience; he invented sessions where listeners could create songs, films, poems and even (with the help of HG Nelson) plan Sydney’s future infrastructure. Listening to his show made you feel good about your fellow Sydneysiders.
Valentine had a wild and bold attitude towards radio that amazed his fellow presenters. He would set up a game or topic and keep talking until someone called. No matter how long it took his listeners to understand what he wanted from them this time, he never seemed to lose his nerve. This was a technique that culminated in an episode called “Nothing” in which Valentine confesses that he has “nothing”; There are no games, no topics, no questions to ask. But people still need to call.
And remarkably, they did just that. Some put forward philosophical thoughts about the nature of “nothingness”; Others admitted that they too had done nothing or had nothing to offer. It was extremely funny and somehow gave a refreshing message about life. Life is a value in itself. Even when nothing is happening.
Meanwhile, Valentine wrote a trilogy of books for teenagers. Jumpman an internationally published TV series and a children’s book, The Real History of Thingsand two books based on the radio show, Form Guidee and Spotful.
He achieved success with his podcast Head Roomand with TV and radio programs exhumeda competition of “garage bands” in which each member must lack professional experience.
jazz program, OptimisticABC was the Jazz’s favorite. Valentine’s day transferred Breakfast for two years – 2022 and 2023 – before returning “home” afternoons in 2024delighted fans and contributors throughout the afternoon.
This pleasure wouldn’t last long. In March 2024, Valentine told his audience: He said he started treatment for esophageal cancer. As always, he shared everything, even interviewing the surgeon who would perform the complex surgery.
We are returning to broadcasts in September. updated the tale: He was offered and accepted a less invasive surgery, even though it could increase his risk of future cancer.
This choice meant he could return to his schedule in September 2024. Then, in June 2025, some new bad news arrived. The cancer reappeared, this time in the omentum, which extends from the stomach to the intestine.
Valentine shared his diagnosis with his usual candor and sense of humor.
“There is a tumor in the omentum. Yes, the omentum, I’ve never heard of it either,” he wrote on ABC’s website. “I’m now all too familiar with the ‘digestive’ aisle of my local chemist.”
Would the outcome have been different if he had chosen a more aggressive surgery? To quote this again Track in June 2025: “There’s a good chance the cancer cells have been wandering around my body for a while, looking for a place to call home, and all the surgery wouldn’t have stopped them from spreading. I’m not that interested in that, how or why it might happen. I think cancer, like other great insults to my existence, has a way of bringing me very firmly into the present.”
More recently, once he had recovered sufficiently, Valentine returned to music with his band Upbeat, featuring Nic Cecire on drums, Sam Rollings on guitar, and Darren Heinrich on keyboards.
The shows combined storytelling, humor and cleverly reimagined jazz classics. He also recorded a solo album called Debut.
James was determined to have a good death, and I believe he did. He bonded with his family and friends until the last moment; always funny, wise and loving.
He is survived by his beloved wife Joanne Corrigan, a clinical psychologist, and his children Ruby, who works in music marketing, and musician Roy. When we discussed a few months ago that I should prepare this obituary, I asked him what specifically he wanted me to include. It was obvious how proud he was of the three of them.
Richard Glover, former host To spread He was a friend and colleague of James Valentine, who hosted ABC Radio Sydney for 26 years. “James was the most important person in my life from a business standpoint. Every day was fun for a few decades. “Today I think about how lucky I am to have met him.”
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