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I'm older (not much) than you. Saw Coltrane many ways including with the quartet.

I agree, that is the most horrible aspect. In my case I have lost more friends to distance than death. But the death of my first wife and parents--awful for me.

That held my attention, actually,

Not too many Mingus collaborators are still with us! Also born on this day, saxophonists C Sharpe (1931), Kidd Jordan (1937), and Kaoru Abe (1949), as well as pianist Stanley Cowell (1941) and drummer John Preininger (1947).

John Coltrane “The 1961 Helsinki Concert featuring Eric Dolphy” Gambit cd

Yes, I think that is the only source at the moment. It has only just now really been released, I have a shipment on the way to me, should arrive in a few days. Finally--a month ago they messaged me a tracking number and that was marked as delivered and never was. Last week they told me that was a tracking order sent in error (doesn't really make sense that it was shown as out for delivery and then delivered) and that the real order was sent out. Tracking shows it is now in New York, I should have it by the weekend.

That to me is the worst thing about growing old: losing friends. In my case many of whom were younger than me. BTW Am I now the oldest one here at 83? And did anyone else here see Coltrane with the quartet?

Mary Halvorson “About Ghosts” Nonesuch cd I still struggle with Mary’s music. I like this one perhaps most due to the personnel–Wilkins and Brennan are my most valued players. Adam O’Farrill – trumpet Brian Settles – tenor saxophone Immanuel Wilkins – alto saxophone Jacob Garchik – trombone Mary Halvorson – guitar, synth Nick Dunston – bass Patricia Brennan – vibraphone Tomas Fujiwara – drums

Valborg Aulin - String Quartet Op.17/1 & Op.17/2 - Tale Quartet Elfrida Andree - String Quartet in Dminor - Stockholm Quartet

Bettye LaVette - Blackbirds (Verve)

$25

Nocturnes

Second Weekend of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. The first two days were shortened by bad weather. Second Thursday: Starting out with a first for me, opera at Jazz Fest, with OperaCreole in a rainstorm. Helen Gillet: A typically wonderful set (solo and duo with a percussionist) from the cellist/vocalist. Isaiah Collier: Based on his Big Ears Festival performance, I was really looking forward to this set. He had the same pianist and drummer as at Big Ears, plus a harp player and the outstanding New Orleans bassist Amina Scott. The first two songs were just as good as at Big Ears, including his grim Requiem. Then the festival abruptly closed due to weather. Very disappointing that the set was truncated. Trumpet Mafia: In the evening, a small group version of Ashlin Parker's Trumpet Mafia at Snug Harbor. Cyrille Aimee is guest vocalist. Second Friday: Victor Campbell: The virtuoso Cuban pianist provides an electrifying set, with mostly Cuban jazz musicians. Larry Sieberth Prewsents Da Groove: Larry Sieberth is a fine New Orleans based pianist, but I was expecting a misbegotten fusion project. It was the opposite, an exciting fusion band featuring David "Fuse" Fiuczynski on guitar and Danny Sadownick on percussion. The guitarist I knew played with Ronald Shannon Jackson but I had to look up the percussionist. Taylor Swift's drummer, slumming in the jazz tent. Terrence Blanchard with Ravi Coltrane: This was a tribute to Miles Davis and Coltrane, but they only performed songs associated with Miles Davis (50s and early 60s era). For some reason, this set did not quite work for me. A focus on electric Miles would have been more appropriate for the band. Second Saturday: The weather was perfect for the final two days and massive crowds showed up. On Saturday, there was a cover band called The Eagles on the biggest stage, which seemed to draw a lot of people. I on the other hand happily spent most of the day in Economy Hall. The Paulin Brothers Brass Band. Founded in 1907. Mark Braud's New Orleans Jazz Giants. Tribute to Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers, with Dr. Michael White, Jamil Sharif, and Shaye Cohn. This set was tremendous. Leroy Jones & New Orleans' Finest. A contemporary giant of the trumpet playing in relative obscurity in New Orleans. Uptown Jazz Orchestra. This big band, led by Delfeayo Marsalis and playing weekly at Snug Harbor, is just fantastic, filled with hot soloists. Pandemonium ensues in the Jazz Tent. Sacred Sunday: Another beautiful day. Starting out with the Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet, playing mostly arrangements of Brian Wilson compositions. This works surprisingly well. Trumpet Mafia: Ashlin Parker's giant, trumpet-based big band, Trumpet Mafia (in recent years they have added a saxophone and trombone section), this year features Keyon Harrold as lead soloist, in a Miles Davis tribute that far eclipses the Terence Blanchar/Ravi Coltrane tribute. This covers all of Miles' eras and is a tremendously exciting set. Jackie Venson: Making her Jazz Fest debut in the Blues Tent, probably the best and most intense live performance by her I have seen. Lila Ike: Closing out the Fest in the small stage Cultural Pavillion for Jamaican reggae singer Lila Ike. Great vocalist. Fantastic. On the way out, I hear the very loud end of Whipping Post by the Tedeski Trucks Band from a safe distance..

I agree that both books were fairly pricey when new (the Francis Wolff book sometimes is even more so now). So this MUST be a great deal here. I guess I must consider myself lucky I scored both of them (German version of the Francis Wolff book and softcover edition of the BN cover art book) FREE from that jazz collector estate last fall (that also yielded To Bird With Love ). BTW, about those "a few Francis Wolff books": Long before last fall's finds, I already had bought a copy of "Blue Note Photography" (Francis Wolff/Jimmy Katz) published by Jazzprezzo. Compared to "The Blue Note Years" it does pale by comparison. Mostly because to me personally the Jimmy Katz photogrpahs do not much. They are OK but you can see he is copying the Wolff style. And then many of those more recent jazzmen just are not as sharp, naturally photogenic dudes as those from the 50s and 60s. But it was good to see both Wolff sets do not duplicate each other entirely but sometimes yielded different shots from one and the same recording session. So still somewhat complementary ...

anyone received/listened to the CDs yet? Only place I can find the release is on the Lost Recordings site

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May 8, 2026: Guitar Prasanna, Windmills, The Colony May 9, 2026: Hiromi's Sonic Wonder, Cullen Theater, Houston Guitar Prasanna, Windmills, The Colony David Lee Jones, Monk's Jazz Club, Austin May 16, 2026: Chucho Valdes, Paramount Theater, Austin Sandip Chatterjee (Violin) & Subhajyoti Guha (Tabla), Kathak Rhythm Studios, Plano May 17, 2026: Lucia, Eldorado Ballroom, Houston May 21, 2026: Stockton Helbing, Bank of America Theater, Richardson May 23, 2026: Ken Vandermark, Monk's Jazz Club, Austin May 30, 2026: Jackie Venson, Beer City Music Hall, Oklahoma City June 2, 2026: Chuck Redd, JazzTX, San Antonio0 June 6, 2026: L Shankar (double violin), Unity Church of the Hills, Austin Abhisek Lahiri (Sarod) & Subrata Bhattacharya (Tabla), Kathak Rhythm Studios, Plano June 7, 2026: Eleonora Strino Duo, Unity of Dallas June 8, 2026: Eleonora Strino Duo, Bates Recital Hall, Austin June 9, 2026: Eleonora Strino Duo, Dianne Benaco Concert Hall, San Antonio June 10, 2026: Eleonora Strino Duo, Bayou Theater, Houston Bill Charlap Trio, Parker Jazz Club, Austin June 11, 2026: Shelley Carrol, Bank of America Theater, Richardson June 12, 2026: Bill Charlap, JazzTX, San Antonio June 13, 2026: Bill Charlap Trio, Windmills, The Colony June 17, 2026: Hamilton de Holanda Trio, JazzTX, San Antonio June 19, 2026: Mohini Dey, Windmills, The Colony June 20, 2026: Mohini Dey, Windmills, The Colony June 26, 2026: Oz Noy, Windmills, the Colony June 27, 2026: Oz Noy, Windmills, The Colony August 22, 2026: S. Akash (flute) & Vivek Pandya (tabla)/ Manas Kumar (violin) and Ojas Adhiya (tabla), Unity Church of the Hills, Austin August 27, 2026: Buddy Guy, Majestic Theater, San Antonio August 28, 2026: Buddy Guy, Austin City Limits August 29, 2026: Buddy Guy, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands August 30, 2026: Buddy Guy, Majestic Theater, Dallas September 5, 2026: Samara Joy, Afro4 Jazz Band (Nigeria), Riverfront Jazz Festival, Dallas October 10, 2026: Niladri Kumar (sitar), Stafford Center, Houston October 11, 2026: Niladri Kumar (sitar), Austin October 18, L. Shankar (violin), Selvaganesh Vinayakram, Swaminathan, Amit Kaythekar (percussion), Matchbox4, Houston

Did the doctors do an X-Ray or even better, an MRI? If not, then they are simply moving you on and not diagnosing your problem. The co-worker I mentioned had had back problems prior and they usually resolved with some prescription anti-inflammatory meds and thought this was the same. Example 2 on why you should be careful... Now this is not what I am saying you are seeing, but my wife had a serious neck issue 15 years back. It was severe. We ended up in the ER one Sunday night. They took an X-ray and sent her home with a heavy dose of Naproxin. A few days later, we went to our ortho doc to get her checked out. He took blood and agreed with the course of treatment i.e. muscle relaxers. A day later, she woke me at 4 AM saying she needed to go to the emergency room again. They wanted to send her home. I told them she needed an MRI of her neck. They said that they couldn't do that in the ER,only if she was admitted. I said, "Admit her". They said nope. They took her for more X-Rays, including one of her lungs (she was coughing a lot). They came in and said, "We have to admit her, she has a slight case of pneumonia". I said, "Great, now order an MRI of her neck". They said only the doctor on her case could do that. The next morning when I came in (at around 4 AM), they were all bustling around her, prepping her for an ambulance ride to Boston for immediate surgery. The doctor came up to me and had the nerve to say, "It's a good thing we did an MRI. She has an abscess". Two major surgeries later, my wife's still here. It was touch and go for a bit, but because we advocated hard for her treatment, she's still here. You are your own best health advocate. Don't let them use the insurance BS to cut costs of your care. At this point, my wife has probably had about 20 MRIs. If the first or even second doc had done one, all of the rest might've been avoided and my wife would still be able to see her knees. BTW - the infectious disease doc thinks it was all due to an abscess tooth my wife had a few months earlier. Life is tricky.