Ken Dryden

Brenda Starr Kay Starr Kay Kaiser

My grandmother made arrangements with the Neptune Society and was cremated after her death in 1984. A couple of weeks ago we finally scattered my parents' ashes on some mountaintop property they owned. It's one of those discussions people need to have with their loved ones, after my father died, I was the only one in the family who knew he wanted to be cremated, he left no funeral instructions for my mother. The funeral industry is still a racket, watch out for chain homes (even when they keep the names of the local homes they bought), they are notorious for overcharging.

I grew up in Broward County and haven't set foot in it since 1984. I have no nostalgia about growing up there, have never been to a high school reunion. I do still have some cousins on the west coast that I wouldn't mind visiting, but I'll fly rather than drive down the state.

I tell everyone I escaped Florida...

If more students took a jazz survey course or attended a concert while in college, the numbers could grow. But the current generation doesn't seem to be willing to give jazz a chance.

King Oliver Duke Ellington Earl Hines

I never met Joe Fields but when I called Jimmy Ponder to seek a phone interview for background in writing liner notes about an unissued solo live recording, he responded, "They recorded that?" Joe Fields got involved because Ponder was a HighNote artist and he was trying to block its release. I didn't pursue the project out of respect for Ponder, though a well known writer took it on and was evidently unaware of its sketchy history. Joe Fields had a Jimmy Ponder session already in the can and hired me to writer liner notes for it, Somebody's Child, which turned out to be Jimmy Ponder's last release prior to his death.

While my recent shipping delay and boxed sets received in error were a minor frustration, I realize that no one is perfect. I appreciate their quest to put together unique boxed sets with detailed liner notes, historical photos and attempting to find every viable take from each session they document. Even then they aren't perfect as sometimes the performances they seek are hidden elsewhere in the licensing label's archives or turn out to be in private hands and unknown to them. Michael Cuscuna was disappointed that they managed to overlook one previously issued track in the Paul Desmond boxed set, but compare that to many labels which goof on a regular basis and get a pass.

The problem with selling Mosaic sets on Amazon is that they would have to raise prices significantly to make up for the ridiculous amounts that Amazon charges. It used to be 15% plus 99 cents, but I noticed they were taking a far larger hunk out of my sales. I have basically abandoned Amazon. Half.com was a great place until eBay bought it and ruined it. A lot of stuff that used to sell could no longer be listed. For example, they treated all cutouts as promos and banned them, even though numerous cutouts were to prevent retailers from getting credit at full price on closeouts. I think the main issue is that younger generations aren't interested in owning boxed sets, as they opt for downloads, streaming on Spotify or sharing digital music with friends. I'm not about to tell Mosaic how to run things, I don't blame them for dropping their printed catalogs, as they were expensive to print and mail. That's something many brick & mortar music retailers have let go, though I still get them from Jazz Messengers.

Audie Murphy Jimmy Stewart Charles Durning

Edition Longplay is all 180 gram LPs, with limited editions of 500, plus a smaller amount of @ LP sets with alternate takes. He is thinking of switching to limited editions of 50.

In a recent interview with Rainer Haarmann, founder of the boutique LP only label Edition Longplay, he told me that he is having quality problems with European pressing plants, due to their overuse and poor maintenance of the equipment. Remember that as the LP era was coming to an end, many of these plants closed and the machines were scrapped, while the people that knew how to use them retired, found other work, or passed on. There are still too few machines in existence for the current demand.

Doc Holliday Philip Blaiberg Edgar Buchanan

i hope any illness is temporary. I've long been a fan of Dick Hyman's work, discovering him back in the late 1970s. I've had the pleasure of reviewing numerous Dick Hyman LPs and CDs, I've done interviews with him and even ran into him on two occasions in New York City, once while he and his wife were just out on the town catching a performance of Oklahoma! and they coincidentally had the two seats directly in front of my wife and me. He is a national treasure.

It was probably one of those foolish reporters who thought up a deliberate "gotcha" question to create needless controversy.

I have long enjoyed Geri Allen's music, it's sad she's gone. She has left an incredible legacy.

Volker Kriegel Paul Volker Senator Rand Paul

Didier Deutsch Rick Germanson Gary U.S. Bonds

I remember running into Dr. Herb Wong during various IAJE conferences and he was always a pleasure to chat with.

Perfect for a quiet Sunday morning...

Julian Adderley Nat Adderley Nat King Cole

Judy Garland Judy Holliday Billie Holiday

He probably booted a lot of the best stuff prior to his death.

Carl Hiaasen Dave Barry Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Sherman Fairchild Morgan Fairchild Lee Morgan