Jim Duckworth

I was told that his son, also named Booker, lives in Chicago and that a daughter lives in Nashville. I was also told that for the most part the family is not all that enthusiastic about jazz.

I'll ask.

I teach in the public school system here in Memphis; we were reading My Bondage and My Freedom by Frederick Douglass last week and, as is my wont, I started talking about Malcom X only to discover I have one of his relatives in my class. Surprised, I asked if she might be related to Booker Little as Little was Malcolm's dead name She contacted her relatives and then reported that Booker and Malcolm unbeknownst to either during their lifetimes were related. Her relatives wanted to make it clear that Blooker Little did not die from drug use-I assured her that this is common knowledge. I found this fascinating and now, forum denizens, you are getting this tidbit of possibly interesting information hot off the presses.

Wow. I didn't know about this one, How are the interpretations of the Hendrix canon?

Having listened to three of the five discs of unreleased material in the Hot Rats set, I must report that I, a devoted Zappa consumer, am finding the set inessential. It was with great interest that I sat down with this set, but soon found my interest waning and my frustration mounting. I'm finding the knick knacks and gee gaws that the Zappa estate includes in some of their multi disc sets useless at best. The chances are better than good that I will never even look at the board game included in this set I'm guessing that this set could be boiled down to a nice two disc set that would have included the original mix and the more generally listenable tracks. So far, iam not feeling inclined to compile a single disc playlist from this sprawling mess. Needless to say, my opinions are subject to change....

In case anyone is on the fence about this set, I would like to add that besides having a fine Jack Teagarden set with some Ellingtonians(!) and a great Pee Wee Russell session, this set has one of the great all time recording sessions: The Bechet-Spanier Big Four Sidney Bechet and Muggsy Spanier with Carmen Mastren on guitar and Wellman Braud on bass.

I really like those mid-size bands that Duke Pearson arranged in the mid to late sixties, and Slice of the Top is a prime example.

Has anyone heard Keno Duke's Sense of Values or Crest of the Wave? Outstanding records from the Golden Age of Jazz-the 1970's-that feature Harold Mabern and Frank Strozier. These records had a major impact on me back in the day.

I embarrassed the woman I was with at Jazz Fest in New Orleans where we were waiting to see David Murray with Archie Shepp. I apparently got very vocally excited when Ray Drummond and John Hicks came out in advance of the horn players.

I'll take it!

Not that I can speak to authoritatively; this is just a matter of something finally dawning on me.